Mixed-Mode Fracture of Solid Propellants
Abstract
This report describes an investigation into the mixed-mode fracture behavior of solid propellants. Experiments were performed at different mixed mode loading conditions at different temperatures and strain rates. The collection of data suggested that while the maximum tangential stress criterion was a reasonable indicator of the onset of crack initiation, the crack growth direction was not well predicted, primarily due to the development of damage near the crack tip. In an effort to overcome this limitation, a cohesive zone damage model was introduced to represent the crack. This model was then embedded in a boundary element method so that arbitrary crack growth under mixed mode loading can be simulated. The details of both the cohesive zone representation and the boundary element implementation are provided. Comparison of the predictions from the stress intensity factor based fracture criterion and cohesive zone model based simulation is presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 15, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA351742
Entities
People
- K. Ravi-chandar
Organizations
- University of Houston