A unified fatigue life prediction method for marine structures

Marine structures such as ships and offshore platforms are mostly designed with damage tolerance and this design philosophy requires accurate prediction of fatigue crack propagation process. Now more and more people have realized that only a fatigue life prediction method based on fatigue crack propagation (FCP) theory has the potential to satisfy the accuracy requirement and to explain various fatigue phenomena observed. In the past several years, the authors’ group has made some efforts in developing a unified fatigue life prediction (UFLP) method for marine structures. The key issue for this development is to establish a “correct” crack growth rate relation. In this paper the improvement of the crack growth rate model is dealt with first. A new crack growth rate model based on the concept of partial crack closure is presented. The capability of the model is demonstrated. Secondly, studies on the engineering approaches to determine the parameters in the new crack growth rate model are carried out and validated by comparing with the experimental results on a wide range of alloys. Thirdly, the preliminary studies on some significant problems such as load sequence effect are presented. Finally, further studies for the application of the UFLP method to the fatigue strength assessment of marine structures are pointed out.     

改进的统一疲劳裂纹扩展速率预报模型对合金在常幅载荷下普遍适用性的研究

精确预报金属结构的疲劳对确保结构安全及指导结构设计与维修具有重要的意义.作者们基于McEvily模型提出了一个改进的统一疲劳裂纹扩展速率模型,其将疲劳裂纹扩展的三个扩展区域统一起来,并能解释更多的疲劳试验现象.文中对该模型进行了详细阐述,同时对模型参数的工程预报方法进行了讨论.为了进一步检验本模型的可靠性,还对不同载荷比下各种材料疲劳裂纹扩展率的预报结果与实验结果进行了对比,对比结果证明了该模型的准确性及其在常幅载荷下对不同材料的普遍适用性.     

有效应力强度因子幅值计算模型的验证

裂纹闭合效应在金属疲劳中有着十分重要的作用,裂纹闭合概念已经用于解释变幅载荷作用下的裂纹扩展问题,已提出了许多基于裂纹闭合概念的有效应力强度因子计算模型.黄等人在Newman模型的基础上,提出了考虑因素更全面且便于应用的有效应力强度因子幅计算模型以及变幅载荷下工程结构疲劳寿命预测模型.为了验证该模型对不同材料的有效性和适应性,收集了一些相关的试验数据,和该模型的预测结果对比发现该模型的预测结果和试验数据符合得很好.对几种钢、铝合金和钛合金材料在不同应力比下的裂纹扩展速率数据用该模型转换成用有效应力强度因子表示的裂纹扩展速率,结果表明由有效应力强度因子幅表示的扩展速率将不同应力比下较分散的裂纹扩展率数据集中在一个很小的分散带内,同时得到了有参考价值的的一些结论.     

随机载荷作用下的疲劳裂纹扩展

船舶等许多工程结构在服役过程中的受载荷历程是一个随机过程.而变幅载荷下的载荷相互作用对疲劳裂纹扩展寿命将产生显著的影响.因此研究随机载荷作用下的裂纹扩展及定量计算对船舶结构的疲劳寿命预测的可靠性是十分重要的.该文提出了一个基于有效应力强度因子,以应力比和裂纹尖端塑性区尺寸为主要参数的随机载荷作用下疲劳寿命预测模型.该模型用于预测几种载荷谱作用下的裂纹扩展试验,结果表明预测结构和实验结果符合得很好.     

改进的疲劳裂纹扩展率模型及其参数估算方法

疲劳裂纹扩展率曲线是任何基于裂纹扩展理论的疲劳寿命预报方法的基本疲劳特性。论文作者们提出了一种改进的疲劳裂纹扩展率模型,它可以解释金属疲劳试验中观察到的各种现象。为了便于工程应用,文中也给出了如何利用除裂纹扩展试验以外的其它试验结果来估算该模型参数的方法。文中还对恒幅载荷下该模型及其参数估算方法对HTS-A钢的适用性进行了分析,分析结果将为利用该模型预报由HTS-A型钢制成的海洋结构物的疲劳寿命提供基础。     

海洋结构物疲劳裂纹扩展寿命的一种工程预报方法

海洋结构物疲劳寿命的准确预报对海洋结构安全具有重要意义。基于裂纹扩展的寿命预报相比于常规的基于累积损伤理论的寿命预报方法,能够考虑载荷次序、初始缺陷等重要因素的影响,各大船级社极力推进裂纹扩展理论在海洋工程中的应用。文章从裂纹扩展法则、应力强度因子求解、疲劳载荷谱模拟上对裂纹扩展理论的工程应用进行研究,试图找出准确、合理且相对简单的方法。结合裂纹扩展的单一曲线模型、基于有限元子模型技术的应力强度因子求法以及基于谱分析的疲劳载荷谱产生方法,对某半潜式钻井平台典型焊接节点进行基于裂纹扩展疲劳寿命预报,并讨论了初始裂纹尺寸对疲劳寿命的影响。结果表明,该半潜平台焊接结构符合设计寿命的要求,初始裂纹尺寸对疲劳寿命影响很大,可为海洋结构物基于裂纹扩展的疲劳寿命预报提供参考。     

半潜平台结构疲劳寿命评估方法比较

为了研究各种疲劳评估方法对海洋结构物疲劳寿命评估结果的影响,利用S-N曲线方法和断裂力学方法分别计算了半潜式海洋平台的疲劳寿命,分析比较了二者计算结果的差别.同时比较了疲劳载荷预报中谱分析方法和设计波法的计算结果,分析研究半潜式海洋平台结构关键节点疲劳应力计算中设计波和载荷参数的确定方法,为半潜式海洋平台的疲劳寿命评估提供依据.经过比较分析,认为S-N曲线方法和断裂力学方法应用于评估海洋结构物疲劳寿命均是可行的,使用设计波法来计算半潜式海洋平台横撑与立柱交点处结构疲劳寿命时应该以60°浪向的横向扭矩为特征设计波浪载荷来决定设计波参数比较合理.     

Remaining fatigue life assessment of corroded mooring chains using crack growth modelling

Failures caused by the combined actions of fatigue, corrosion and wear are important safety concerns for mooring chains used on floating structures in the oil and gas industry. Prediction of remaining corrosion fatigue life based on surface condition could therefore be a useful tool for the continued safe operation of corroded chains. This paper investigates the use of crack growth modelling for estimating the remaining corrosion fatigue life of mooring chains that exhibit significant pitting corrosion damage. A crack growth modelling approach is used to produce remaining fatigue life estimates for a selection of severely pitted mooring chains. Using fatigue crack growth rate test results for grade R4 high strength mooring chain steel, empirical crack growth laws are presented for free corrosion and cathodic protection conditions at load ratio R = 0.1. Two different methods for establishing equivalent cracks from surface scans of corrosion damage are presented. The mooring chains are proof loaded as part of their manufacturing process. Residual stresses introduced during this process have therefore been determined by finite element analysis and accounted for in the fatigue crack growth predictions. One of the equivalent crack models, accounting for the single dominant corrosion pit, provided quite accurate fatigue life predictions when compared with full scale test results.     

复杂载荷作用下潜艇结构疲劳裂纹扩展预报方法

统一疲劳裂纹扩展模型是课题组在McEvily模型基础上提出来的,它将疲劳裂纹扩展的3个扩展区域统一起来,并能解释更多的疲劳试验现象.本文介绍了统一疲劳裂纹扩展模型的基本表达式.将此模型与焊缝焊趾表面裂纹应力强度因子的计算方法结合起来,探讨复杂载荷作用下潜艇结构疲劳裂纹扩展预报方法.将服从Weibull分布的随机载荷系列编排为升序、降序载荷谱及随机载荷谱,预报潜艇锥柱结合壳焊缝焊趾处表面裂纹在3种载荷谱下的疲劳裂纹扩展情况,并分析随机载荷谱下载荷次序效应及初始裂纹尺寸对疲劳裂纹扩展行为的影响.结果表明,载荷次序效应对潜艇结构疲劳寿命的影响很明显,且合理的确定初始裂纹尺寸对潜艇结构的疲劳寿命预报是非常重要的.     

考虑小裂纹和保载时间效应的疲劳可靠性分析

大深度载人潜水器的载人舱材质是高强度金属,不可避免地会受到疲劳损害现象的挑战。实际的载人舱结构中存在着由外部因素和内部因素引起的不确定性,其疲劳寿命将受到这些不确定性的影响。在前期的研究中,课题组基于统一的疲劳裂纹扩展率模型进行了疲劳可靠性分析方法的探讨,可作为进一步进行载人舱疲劳寿命预报的基础。但是,该模型无法反映小裂纹和保载时间的影响,而这正是载人舱结构和所受载荷的重要特征,应进行深入研究。所以,课题组提出了一个小裂纹扩展率模型和两个反映保载时间效应的裂纹扩展率模型,以更好地解释载人舱用钛合金金属的蠕变疲劳特性。文中基于这三个模型,结合不同的理论方法,进行了疲劳可靠性分析,考察了可靠度分析方法之间的不同、输入参数以及不同的裂纹扩展理论模型对结构的疲劳可靠性的影响。     

一种复杂载荷作用下船舶结构疲劳裂纹扩展预报方法

风暴模型是Tomita等提出的用来评估船舶结构疲劳强度的一种随机波浪载荷简化模型,它能表达波浪载荷是与时间相关的随机过程。文中介绍了风暴模型及波浪诱导应力短期分布的基本特征。将风暴模型和裂纹扩展率单一曲线模型及焊趾表面裂纹应力强度因子的计算方法结合起来,探讨了复杂载荷作用下船舶结构疲劳裂纹扩展预报方法。并用权函数法计算了给定残余应力分布的表面裂纹应力强度因子。预报了对接焊接接头焊趾处表面裂纹在风暴波浪载荷作用下的疲劳裂纹扩展行为,结果表明风暴的大小、顺序,初始裂纹尺寸及残余应力对裂纹扩展行为影响明显。合理的风暴模型参数及初始裂纹尺寸的确定对船舶结构的疲劳寿命预报是非常重要的。     

基于损伤力学和XFEM的舰船蒸汽轮机叶片裂纹扩展研究

叶片作为舰船汽轮机的核心零部件,其在复杂工况下的低周疲劳寿命一直是备受关注的问题。传统的寿命预测方法大多是基于经验公式进行求解,没有考虑损伤累积对材料固有属性的影响,也没有对裂纹萌生和扩展过程进行全面的分析。文章以损伤力学的基本理论为基础,考虑叶片实际非对称循环的工作状态,引入平均应力的概念,推导叶片低周疲劳寿命的计算公式以及损伤随循环次数变化关系的表达式。同时基于有限元分析软件ABAQUS,使用XFEM方法模拟叶片裂纹扩展并进行低周疲劳寿命分析,并与所给出的理论计算结果进行对比。结果表明,所建立的基于损伤力学的低周疲劳寿命计算结果与基于扩展有限元的裂纹扩展模拟结果吻合较好,其对于舰船汽轮机叶片等工程结构的寿命预测具有一定价值。     

A computational approach for fatigue crack propagation in ship structures under random sequence of clustered loading

The authors have developed a simulation program, CP-System, for multiple cracks propagating in a three-dimensional stiffened panel structure, where through-the-thickness crack propagation is formulated as a two-dimensional in-plane problem, and the crack propagation behavior is simulated by step-by-step finite element analyses. In order to evaluate the fatigue lives of marine structures accurately, it is necessary to take into account the load histories induced by sea waves, which may be composed of a random sequence of certain clustered loads with variable stress range. In the proposed crack growth model, the crack opening and closure behavior is simulated by using the modified strip yielding model, and the effective tensile plastic stress intensity range, ΔK _RP, is calculated by considering the contact of plastic wake along the crack surfaces. The adequacy of the proposed crack growth model is examined by comparison with fatigue tests under non-constant-amplitude loading. The usefulness of the developed method is demonstrated for a ship structural detail under certain simulated load sequences. It is shown that the fatigue crack growth of a ship structure is significantly retarded due to the load interaction effects, so that the conventional method for fatigue life assessment may predict a relatively conservative fatigue life of a structure.     

过载作用下两种疲劳裂纹扩展模型的比较

文章改进了一种疲劳裂纹扩展模型,将原来的模型描述范围扩展到疲劳裂纹扩展的第三个阶段,并给出了一种确定模型中β值的方法。文中还将该模型与另外一种双参数疲劳裂纹扩展模型进行了比较,两种模型都通过7075-T6铝在过载作用下的疲劳试验数据进行了验证。最后,给出了比较结果,以及对两种模型应用的建议。     

金属疲劳裂纹扩展率曲线与S-N曲线之间的关系

目前有两种不同的理论用于预报金属结构的疲劳寿命。一种是基于S－N曲线的累积疲劳损伤理论，另一种是基于裂纹扩展率曲线的疲劳裂纹扩展理论，如果都把一个构件的最终断裂作为疲劳破坏的定义，则S－N曲线和裂纹扩展率曲线均是反映金属在疲劳载荷作用下的基本材料特性。尽管在过去这两种曲线是分别测试的，但它们之间应该存在一些相互关系。本文的主要目的就是讨论它们之间的关系。基于S－N曲线的一个一般表达式和裂纹扩展率曲线的一个有代表性的表达式，本文建立了两种曲线之间的一个正式关系，这表明只需要测试一种曲线，而另一种曲线就可以根据已有的试验结果导出。文章以一个中央裂纹平板作为例子，演示了如何根据一种曲线推导另一种曲线。     

疲劳裂纹扩展规律的正切模型

为了用解析方法合理地描述疲劳裂纹扩展的三个阶段,提出了一种新的疲劳裂纹扩展模型——正切模型。该模型驱动力使用应力强度因子幅值K,能够描述裂纹扩展的三个阶段,且只有四个参数需要确定。通过非线性拟合确定疲劳裂纹扩展正切模型中的四个参数。研究了门槛值Kth和失稳值Kf与应力比R的关系,以及四个参数对裂纹扩展速率的影响。最后比较了试验值、九参数模型和正切模型在疲劳裂纹扩展速率曲线和裂纹扩展长度变化曲线等方面的差别,发现正切模型结果与试验数据较为吻合。该模型描述的裂纹扩展长度变化曲线能够较好地用于疲劳寿命评估。     

Numerical study on fatigue crack growth at a web-stiffener of ship structural details by an objected-oriented approach in conjunction with ABAQUS

It is necessary to manage the fatigue crack growth (FCG) once those cracks are detected during in-service inspections. This is particular critical as high strength steels are being used increasingly in ship and offshore structures. In this paper, a simulation program (FCG-System) is developed utilizing the commercial software ABAQUS with its object-oriented programming interface to simulate the fatigue crack path and to compute the corresponding fatigue life. In order to apply FCG-System in large-scale marine structures, the substructure modeling technique is integrated in the system under the consideration of structural details and load shedding during crack growth. Based on the nodal forces and nodal displacements obtained from finite element analysis, a formula for shell elements to compute stress intensity factors is proposed in the view of virtual crack closure technique. Neither special singular elements nor the collapsed element technique is used at the crack tip. The established FCG-System cannot only treat problems with a single crack, but also handle problems with multiple cracks in case of simultaneous but uneven growth. The accuracy and the robustness of FCG-System are demonstrated by two illustrative examples. No stability and convergence difficulties have been encountered in these cases and meanwhile, insensitivity to the mesh size is confirmed. Therefore, the FCG-System developed by authors could be an efficient tool to perform fatigue crack growth analysis on marine structures.     

高强度钛合金深潜器载人舱在三种不同类型载荷下的裂纹扩展预报

随着安全性要求的提高,深潜器耐压舱的疲劳寿命评估变得越来越重要。对于耐压舱,在其服役期间经历的载荷历程包括扰动疲劳载荷和相对稳定的蠕变载荷,目前尚未有公认合适的模型来描述这一载荷谱历程。传统疲劳寿命预报方法通常忽略蠕变效应导致疲劳寿命预测较大的不确定性。为了更清楚地理解这一机理,该文对深潜器耐压舱用β-退火钛合金TC4 ELI的裂纹扩展率进行了理论分析,分别引入了三种类型载荷作用下的裂纹扩展率模型。并开展了在包含过载和保载载荷的一系列循环三角载荷下的疲劳裂纹扩展试验,对理论模型进行了验证,为合理评估深海载人潜水器的疲劳寿命提供了基础。     

A probabilistic damage tolerance concept for welded joints. Part 1: data base and stochastic modelling

The present paper presents the necessary crack growth statistics and suggests stochastic models for a reliability analysis of the fatigue fracture of welded steel plate joints. The reliability levels are derived from extensive testing with fillet-welded joints for which the entire crack growth history has been measured, not only the final fatigue life. The statistics for the time to reach given crack depths are determined. Fracture-mechanics-derived crack growth curves are fitted to the measured experimental curves and the best fit defines the growth parameters involved for each test specimen. The derived statistics and distribution function for these parameters are used as variables in a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). In addition a Markov model is developed as an alternative stochastic model. It is a Markov chain for which the discrete damage states are related to chosen crack depths in the material. This model works directly with the experimental time statistics. It is a “stochastic bulk approach” not involving any random variables or fracture mechanics modeling. Both models are fitted to the data base and scaled to in-service conditions. Both methods are compared and discussed. The aim is to provide data for the variables used in a MCS and to develop a Markov chain for fast reliability calculation, especially when predicting the most likely influence of numerous future inspections.     

Multi-scale modeling of fatigue crack propagation applied to random sequence of clustered loading

Fatigue crack propagation in marine structures is obviously governed by mechanics of the considerably different four levels of multi-scale problems. Problems of structural response to environmental loads have length scale of several hundred meters, whereas possible detectable size of cracks from initial defects in a weld is of the order of millimeters. Once a fatigue crack initiates, crack tip plasticity is of the order of several grain sizes, while the resulting fatigue crack growth in each load cycle is of the order of nanometers. In our previous work, the first author and their associates have developed the so-called CP-System, which can treat the first two multi-level problems as an integrated system. Furthermore, we have incorporated the third level of mechanics by using the stress intensity range corresponding to the repeated tensile plastic deformation ahead of the crack tip. In the present paper, we shall discuss a more rational integral equation-based formulation in order to integrate the third and fourth levels of micro-mechanics to the first two levels of continuum mechanics.The method is then applied to fatigue crack propagation under the effects of random sequence of clustered loading. As an example of the random sequence of clustered load, we shall use the so-called “storm model”. In the crack propagation simulation, we have to take into account of the plastic wake on the crack surfaces, whose thicknesses are influenced by the material parameters involved in the crack growth model. These parameters are first identified by the fatigue tests under combined constant and random loading using a CT specimen. Then, fatigue crack growth is investigated by numerical simulation and fatigue tests for various random sequences of clustered loading. The experimental and numerical results agree quite well with each other, and fatigue crack propagation is found to be considerably retarded under random sequence loading, so that the conventional equivalent stress approach may provide rather conservative results to the real seaway loading.