Mixed-mode fatigue crack growth analysis of functionally graded materials by XFEM

摘要

The present study investigates the fatigue life of a functionally graded material (FGM) made of aluminum alloy and alumina (ceramic) under cyclic mixed mode loading. The fatigue lives of aluminum alloy, FGM and an equivalent composite (having the same composition as of FGM) are compared for a major edge crack in the rectangular domain. The extended finite element method is used to simulate the fatigue crack growth under plane strain conditions. Various discontinuities such as minor cracks, holes and inclusions of arbitrary sizes are randomly located in the domain along with the major edge crack. Paris law is used to evaluate the fatigue life of the aluminium alloy, FGM and equivalent composite.