Surface crack growth in metallic pipes reinforced with Fibre-Reinforced Polymers subjected to cyclic loads: An analytical approach

• Published in: Theoretical and applied fracture mechanics Vol. 127; p. 104070
• Main Authors: Li, Zongchen, Jiang, Xiaoli, Hopman, Hans, Affolter, Christian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2023
• Subjects: Cohesive zone model; Crack-bridging effect; Fibre-Reinforced Polymer reinforcement; Interfacial fatigue damage; Interfacial stiffness degradation; Surface crack growth; Fibre-Reinforced Polymer reinforcement; Interfacial stiffness degradation; Cohesive zone model; Surface crack growth; Crack-bridging effect; Interfacial fatigue damage
• ISSN: 0167-8442; 1872-7638
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tafmec.2023.104070

•A novel analytical approach to predict surface crack growth reinforced with FRP.•Crack-bridging effect is considered through cohesive zone modelling.•Interfacial properties (delamination, degradation, fatigue damage) are considered.•An in-house program was developed to realize automate prediction.•The Approach opens new possibilities for the safe and efficient design.
This paper introduces a novel analytical approach aimed at predicting the growth of surface cracks in metallic pipes reinforced with Fibre-Reinforced Polymers (FRPs) subjected to cyclic bending and/or tension loads. The primary objective of this study is to develop a comprehensive analytical model that accounts for multiple factors influencing crack growth, namely stress reduction, crack-bridging effect, stiffness degradation, and fatigue damage of the FRP-to-metal interface simultaneously. By considering these simultaneous effects, our proposed approach enables accurate evaluations of the stress intensity factors (SIFs) at both the surface point and the deepest point of a surface crack. To facilitate practical implementation, we have developed an in-house program that automates crack growth rate and residual fatigue life predictions. The proposed analytical method has been validated through a series of comparisons with experimental data and finite element results, demonstrating its accuracy in estimating fatigue lives. The key novelties of this research lie in the holistic consideration of multiple dominating and influencing factors, the achievement of precise SIF evaluations, and the development of an automated prediction tool for practical applications. Overall, our findings confirm the suitability of the proposed analytical approach for predicting crack growth and provide valuable insights for guiding the design of FRP reinforcement in surface-cracked metallic pipes. This work contributes to advancing the understanding of crack growth behaviour in FRP-reinforced metallic pipes and opens new possibilities for the safe and efficient design of such structures.