SMART Crack Growth

Simulates fatigue and static crack propagation in a structure.

Object Properties

Tree Dependencies

Insertion Methods

Right-click Options

API Reference

Additional Related Information

Object Properties

The Details Pane properties for this object include the following.

CategoryProperties/Options/Descriptions

Definition

Analysis: Read-only field that describes the object – Crack Growth.

Method: Read-only field that specifies the crack growth method – SMART.

Suppressed: Include or exclude the object.

Options for Crack Growth

Initial Crack: Provides a drop-down list. Select the desired crack you have created to simulate crack growth propagation.

Crack Growth Option: Allows you to specify the crack growth option. Options include Fatigue (default) and Static.

Crack Growth Option = Fatigue

When the Crack Growth Option property is set to Fatigue, the read-only option Material Data Table populates the Failure Criteria Option property.

In addition, the application displays the following associated properties:

  • Material: The application automatically selects the default material of scoped Crack body. You can change the material using the property's fly-out menu. Any material that you select must include the material property Paris’ Law.

  • Crack Growth Law: Read-only property that displays the given Crack Growth Law: Paris' Law.

  • Crack Growth Methodology: Select your crack growth methodology for crack growth propagation. The options include: Life Cycle Prediction (default) and Cycle By Cycle.

    If you specify Cycle By Cycle, the property Incremental Number of Cycles displays. It enables you to specify the incremental number of cycles during a substep. The default setting is 10.

  • Min Increment of Crack Extension: Specifies the minimum crack extension increment value. The options include:

    • Program Controlled: The application uses the default minimum increment value.

    • Manual: You specify the value. The default value is 0.

  • Max Increment of Crack Extension: Specifies the maximum crack extension increment value. The options include:

    • Program Controlled: The application uses the default maximum increment value.

    • Manual: You specify the value. The default value is 0.

  • Stress Ratio: Specifies the stress ratio. The default value is 0. The entry range is less than 1.

Crack Growth Option = Static

When the Crack Growth Option property is set to Static, the following drop-down menu options are available. Each option requires you to specify a value in the dependent property Critical Rate. The unit system of the Critical Rate property varies based on your selection. The property can be parameterized.

  • Stress Intensity Factor: The Critical Rate default value is 0.

  • J-Integral: The Critical Rate default value is 0.

Failure Criteria Option: The options of this property are dependent upon the selection made for the Crack Growth Option.

Stop Criterion: Options include None (default), Max Crack Extension, Free Boundary, Max Stress Intensity Factor, and Max Total Number of Cycles (displayed when the Crack Growth Option property is set to Fatigue). When you select the Max Crack Extension, Max Stress Intensity Factor, or the Max Total Number of Cycles, the --Stop Value property displays. This property requires you to enter a value for the selected Stop Criterion option. Once the maximum stop criterion limit is reached, the application stops the solution process. In this instance, the solution is incomplete and the Solution folder will not be in solved state because the solution is not complete for all time points. If the maximum stop criterion limit is not reached during solution, then the solution process completes normally.

Remeshing Controls

Mesh Coarsening: You use this property to define a desired level of coarsening of the excessively fine mesh surrounding the crack front during the SMART crack growth remeshing processing. Options include:

  • Conservative (default): This option performs the least amount of mesh coarsening and creates a larger number of nodes and elements after a substantial amount of crack-growth. This options offers the greatest remeshing success rate.

  • Moderate: This option modestly reduces the number of nodes and elements and offers a satisfactory remeshing success rate.

  • Aggressive: This option quickly coarsens the mesh in the region behind crack front and offers the largest reduction in the number of nodes and elements following a substantial amount of crack-growth.

Step Controls for Crack Growth (Only available when the Crack Growth property is set to Static.)

Auto Time Stepping: Property options include Program Controlled (default) or Manual. Setting the property to Manual enables you to modify the following time step properties, otherwise they are read-only.

Initial Time Step: Defines the initial time step to initiate crack growth.

Minimum Time Step: Minimum time step for subsequent crack growth.

Maximum Time Step: Maximum time step for subsequent crack growth.

Tree Dependencies

Insertion Methods

  • Select the Fracture object and select the SMART Crack Growth option on the Fracture Context Tab.

  • Right-click the Fracture object or in the Geometry window and select Insert > SMART Crack Growth.

Right-click Options

In addition to common right-click options, relevant right-click options for this object include:

  • Insert >

    • Interface Delamination

    • Contact Debonding

    • SMART Crack Growth

  • Suppress

API Reference

See the SMART Crack Growth section of the ACT API Reference Guide for specific scripting information.

Additional Related Information