Implementation of a plastically dissipated energy criterion for three dimensional modeling of fatigue crack growth

•Broadens the scope of using plastically dissipated energy as a criterion in fatigue.•Predicts cyclic crack growth via finite element simulation.•Predicts the crack growth rate.•Predicts the crack front profile (tunneling).•Predicts retardation in crack growth rate due to overload.

Fatigue crack growth is simulated using three dimensional elastic–plastic finite element analysis. The crack extension per load cycle, da/dN, as well as crack front profile changes (crack tunneling) under cyclic loading is not specified as an input but evaluated based on a condition that relates plastically dissipated energy to a critical value. Simulation of cyclic crack propagation in a middle-crack tension M(T) specimen using this implementation captures the well established, experimentally obtained crack growth rate reduction accompanying a single overload event. The analysis predicts that the single overload also affects the crack front profile, where a tunneling crack propagates with a flatter crack front in the overload affected zone.