Simulation of contact-induced fracture

摘要

The boundary element method is applied to the analysis of crack growth induced by the action of an indenture on monlinthin ceramic materials and on thin ceramic coatings The path followed by the crack has non-trivial geometry. The direction of crack propagation is determined using the maximum mechanical energy release rate criterion. The chief advantage of the method is the ease with which problems having complex geometry or oaring (giving rise to complex crack trajectories) can be treated. In this paper we present models of contact damage induced by cylindrical and spherical indentures and show that both the creak geometry and the crack energetic can be accrete represented. In particualr, the method allow the study of the early stages of crack growth, which are difficult to observe experimentally.