複数き裂の相互作用を考慮した進展予測方法（長さの異なる表面き裂の繰返し引張および曲げ荷重下での進展）

抄録

When multiple cracks approach one another, the stress intensity factor is likely to change due to the interaction of the stress field. This causes change in growth rate and shape of cracks. In particular, when cracks are in parallel position to the loading direction, the shape of cracks becomes non-planar. In this study, the complex growth of interacting cracks is evaluated by using the S-Version finite element method, in which local detailed finite element mesh (local mesh) is superposed on coarse finite element model (global mesh) representing the global structure. In order to investigate the effect of interaction on the growth behavior, two parallel surface cracks are subjected to cyclic tensile or bending load. It is shown that the smaller crack is shielded by larger crack due to the interaction and stops growing when the difference in size of two cracks is significant. Based on simulations of various conditions, a procedure and criteria for evaluating crack growth for fitness-for-service assessment is proposed. According to the procedure, the interaction is not necessary to be considered in the crack growth prediction when the difference in size of two cracks exceeds the criterion.