Finite Element Analysis of Indentation Cracks for Brittle Materials under Static Loading

Abstract

The indentation method is able for use in determining the fracture properties of materials. In the present work, a source code programme for two-dimensional finite element method has been applied to simulate cracking behaviour during indentation on brittle specimens under static loading conditions. The study also aims to predict the crack propagation trajectories under Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM). The source code is written in FORTRAN language. The FE mesh is generated using an advancing front method, where the generation of the background mesh and the construction of singular elements are also added to this developed programme to realise the fracture analysis. In evaluating the accuracy of the crack path predictions, the results are compared and validated with the sets of experimental data of relevant published research work. Upon comparison, it is proven that this developed source code programme is capable of demonstrating the crack indentation in terms of predicting the crack trajectories as well as the evaluation of the stress intensity factors.