Effects of chemical degradation on longitudinal fracture of non-homogeneous beams: an analytical study

Abstract

An analytical study of the chemical degradation of the material and its effects of on longitudinal fracture behaviour of continuously non-homogeneous cantilever beam is carried-out. The chemical degradation is described by decreasing of the elasticity modulus of the non-homogeneous material with time. The fracture is studied by analyzing of the strain energy release rate. For this purpose, the strain energy release rate is derived as a function of time with taking into account the chemical degradation and the non-homogeneity of the material. The time-dependent fracture is analyzed also by applying the J-integral with considering the chemical degradation for verification. The variation of the strain energy release rate with the time due to the chemical degradation is studied and discussed in detail.