Theoretical Analysis and Engineering Implications for the High Order Term Solutions of the Mode II Type Creep Crack

The high order term (HOT) solutions of crack tip field should be taken into account in engineering applications due to their potential influences on the fracture toughness as well as the crack growth rate. Towards this end, the high order asymptotic analysis of mode II crack in a power-law creeping material under the plane strain condition is presented theoretically in this paper. By comparing among the three order term solution, HRR field and finite element calculations, it can be found that the proposed three order term solution is able to characterize the full field of mode II creep crack tip accurately. The high order term solution of mode II creep crack relies on the creep exponent, which is different from that of mode I crack case. There are two independent terms among these three terms of asymptotic solution for mode II creep crack, which indicates that there exists the constraint effect for the plane strain mode II creep crack though the effect of high order term may not be as significant as the mode I crack case. Based on the theoretical analysis, a modified time-dependent failure assessment diagram (TDFAD) for mode II creep crack is proposed by considering the high order term solution.