Application of the Virtual Crack Closure Technique to Calculate Stress IntensityFactors for Through Cracks with an Oblique Elliptical Crack Front

摘要

Fractographic observations on fatigue tested 2024 T3 clad aluminum riveted lap-splice joints indicate oblique fronts after the initial surface or corner crack at a rivet hole has penetrated through the sheet thickness. No stress intensity factor solutions are available for this geometry subjected to remote biaxial tension, remote bending, rivet loading, and rivet interference, which are typical for a pressurized fuselage of a transport aircraft. However, comparisons are made with solution from the literatuue for remote tension and bending. To reduce model generation time for each crack geometry, one finite element mesh is used to generate a model for each crack geometry for which a stress intensity factor solution is desired.