Finite element failure analysis of wires for civil engineering applications with various crack-like laminations

ADEWOLE, KAZEEM KAYODE; BULL, S.J.

ENGINEERING FAILURE ANALYSIS

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2015 vol. 60 p. 229 - 249

1350-6307

This paper presents the finite element (FE) failure predictions and analyses of a typical wire for civil engineering applications with various crack-like lamination types (Single and double), geometries (straight-end and inclined-end) and orientations (longitudinal, lateral and transverse). FE prediction and analysis of the failure of notched pre-cracked wires with a surface across-the-thickness crack-like lamination validated with experimental results are also presented. The FE predicted fracture shape for the notched pre-cracked wires that consists of a cup and cone fracture shape below the bottom tip of the surface across-the-thickness crack-like lamination agrees with the experimental fracture shape. Wires with the double straight-end and double inclined-end crack-like/line-type laminations exhibit a ?slant-middle W? and a ?zigzag? fractures respectively. Above and below the lateral mid-width across-the-thickness lamination, the wires with the lateral mid-width across-the-thickness lamination exhibit a combination of a transverse mid-thickness flat fracture that is perpendicular to the lateral mid-width across-the-thickness lamination and negatively inclined slant fractures on each side of the mid-thickness flat fracture at the remaining outer edges of the wire´s thickness. On both the front and back sides of the transverse mid-thickness across-the-width lamination, the wires with the transverse mid-thickness across-the-width lamination exhibit a combination of transverse flat fractures parallel to the transverse mid-thickness across-the-width lamination and positively inclined slant fractures at the outer edges of the wire´s thickness. FE failure analysis reveals that fracture initiations do not always begin at the termini of every longitudinal crack-like/line-type lamination as reported in a published fractographic failure analysis report of wires with longitudinal crack-like laminations. Fracture initiation only begins at the termini/tip of longitudinal inclined-end crack-like laminations and at the termini/tip of transverse and lateral laminations. FE failure analysis also reveals that wires with single straight-end, double straight-end and double inclined-end longitudinal crack-like/line-type laminations do not exhibit cup and cone fractures as reported. This work further demonstrates the need to employ FE failure analysis as a complimentary or alternative failure analysis approach where the destruction/alteration of the fracture markings by corrosion could affect the accuracy of fractographic failure analysis.