Thesis

Topic: “Comparison of methods for evaluating the creep zone at a crack tip using FEA” (Title TBC)

Supervisor: Prof. Gustavo V. Guinea (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid)

I am currently studying for the Master’s Degree in Numerical Simulation in Engineering with ANSYS, at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM). I’m now at the end of the degree and am currently taking the Master’s Thesis course, as the final requirement to graduate. You can read more about why I’m doing a Master’s Degree, and how I chose the topic here.

The thesis will involve a study of the different methods of evaluating viscoplascity (creep) in a fractured specimen, using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The primary aim is to compare the Riedel-Rice () and Saxena () models [1] with the FEA solution, to assess their ability to capture the size and shape of the creep zone at intermediate times, as well as for the limiting cases (no creep) and (steady-state creep).  The initial study will consider a 2D cracked beam in bending (mode I), with further studies (if time permits) to consider 3D problems.

My supervisor for the thesis is Professor Gustavo V. Guinea, from the Department of Materials Science at UPM.

References
[1] Anderson, T.L., “Fracture Mechanics”, Second Edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Ann Arbor, London, Tokyo, 1995, pp 194-195.