Discrete dislocation modeling on interaction between type-I blunt crack and cylindrical void in single crystals

The interaction between a type-I blunt crack and a near-tip void were modeled by the two-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics (2-D DDD), with special emphasis on the void growth, crack-tip deformation and their size effect. Different from the classical crystal plasticity-based FE modeling, the present 2-D DDD modeling clearly indicates that, even for the type-I opening crack, the horizontal slip bands connecting the crack tip and the void surface are easily formed, especially when the ligament between the crack-tip and void surface is not too long. Besides the horizontal slip bands, some asymmetric slip bands which are at an oblique angle to the horizontal x-axis can also be formed and intersect with the micro-void. On two coupled parallel slip bands, some oppositely signed dislocations, which can be regarded as equivalent prismatic dislocation loops, glide toward the void/crack-tip surface and thus drive the void growth and the crack tip further blunting. In addition, the size effect by ligament length and void radius on void growth and crack-void interaction has also been investigated carefully. It was found that the size effect is closely related to the formation of horizontal shear slip bands. There exists a critical void radius, under which the near-tip void tends to change into a flat shape and its area decreases gradually with increasing the applied stress intensity factor (SIF) K. These results might be helpful for a better understanding of the fracture and damage mechanisms in the crack-tip process zone.