Fractal Cracks Propagation in Aluminum

Abstract

The theory of the fractal structure characterizing propagation of a crack through identification of its generator is presented. It's generating fractal, the peculiarities of its construction and the way to measure its segments are defined, and a theorem on the inverse scale property of such and other of the axial symmetry property of the fractal generator are presented and demonstrated. The theory is applied on 6061-T6 aluminum samples, using SENB probes. Direction of crack propagation and its fractal dimension are calculated numerically. Results obtained from modeling the direction of crack propagation through mechanics of elastic linear fracture and the one proposed here, called geometrical fractal fracture, are compared, thus developing the mirror case.