Thermomechanical coupling effects on fractured solids

✍ Scribed by N. S. Sun; T. R. Hsu

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 970 KB
• Volume: 78
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-2673
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00018501

✦ Synopsis

An analytical model is presented to predict the temperature field induced in a fractured solid by mechanical loadings. The heat conduction equation used to compute the temperature field consists of three separate terms that account for the coupling effects. These are the thermoelastic, thermoplastic and thermofracture coupling terms. Finite element formulations were used for the numerical solutions of a case study. This case study involved experimental assessments of temperature rises near the tip of a stationary crack when subjected to an impact load that attempted to open the crack surfaces. Good correlations of analytical and experimental results were obtained. The measurable temperature rises in a fractured solid suggested that the coupling effect may be significant enough to influence the fracture characteristics of a solid; in particular, if the bulk temperature of the solid is close to the transition temperature from the brittle to ductile fracture mode or vice versa.