Developments in remeshing‐free fatigue crack growth simulation including a new adaptive virtual crack closure technique
S. Karimi, Farhad Haji Aboutalebi, Mohammad Heidari‐Rarani
Abstract
Abstract The present study aims to evaluate and improve the remeshing‐free fatigue crack growth (FCG) simulation and life estimation through two developing FEM‐VCCT and XFEMPN‐VCCT algorithms in Abaqus. First, new energy‐based forms of the Paris, Walker, and Elber FCG models are implemented by a user subroutine, a novel systematic meshing strategy is proposed, and some challenging features of these algorithms are investigated. Despite the success of this methodology in enhancing efficiency, decreasing the run‐time, and preventing potential errors, it is observed that the XFEMPN‐VCCT algorithm has some fundamental errors such as a serious overestimation in FCG life prediction. Thus, a novel “adaptive VCCT” is introduced and implemented by a Python script in Abaqus in the form of a new XFEMPN‐AVCCT algorithm. It is finally concluded that the adaptive VCCT can significantly enhance the accuracy of FCG simulation and life estimation.