Simulation of experimental force-displacement curves by a finite element elimination technique

Abstract A recently developed Finite Element (FE) elimination technique to simulate automatic crack propagation was used to predict experimentally measured force-displacement curves for chevron-notched three-point bending specimens with side-grooves. Numerical predictions (2D, plane strain) and experimental measurements (3D) are compared for this special notch geometry by using a calculated ‘effective width’. The FE elimination algorithm is applied to ductile failure of Al(6061)–(20vol%)SiC metal matrix composites. Macroscopic crack appearance and corresponding force-displacement curves have been successfully simulated by using a combination of critical stress and strain values as failure criterion.