An insight into the breathing mechanism of a crack in a rotating shaft

The time history of local flexibilities associated with a breathing crack in a rotating shaft is the concern of this paper. Considering quasi-static approximation, the deflections of a circular cross-section beam presenting a crack of different depths, due to bending or torsion loads are analyzed with the aid of a refined nonlinear contact-finite element procedure in order to predict accurately the time-variant flexibility of the fractured shaft. This method predicts the partial contact of crack surfaces, and it is appropriate to evaluate the instantaneous crack flexibilities. The bending load is applied in several aperture angles, in order to simulate a rotating load on a fixed beam. Results obtained for the rotating beam can then be used for the analysis of cracked, horizontal axis rotors. The effect of friction is also considered in the cracked area. Portions of crack surfaces in contact are predicted, the direct and the cross-coupled flexibility coefficients are calculated by applying energy principles. The numerical results compared with relevant previously published results, show high consistency.