Brittle crack propagation/arrest behavior in steel plate – Part I: Model formulation

•A formulation of brittle crack propagation/arrest behavior in steel plates is proposed.•The model formulation is based on the local fracture criterion.•A crack behavior is simulated by repeated calculations of simultaneous governing equations.•A crack arrest is predicted when the simultaneous equations do not give any solutions.

A formulation to simulate brittle crack propagation/arrest behavior in steel plates is proposed based on the local fracture criterion. The crack behavior is simulated within a short time by repeated calculations solving the simultaneous governing equations at the crack front: (a) fracture condition, (b) strain hardening, (c) yield point and (d) dynamic stress intensity factor, without any arbitrary parameters and any complicated procedures. The crack is predicted to be arrested when the above simultaneous equations do not give any solutions or when the uncracked side-ligaments cover all the thickness of the plate at the crack front.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide