Parametric study of ductile crack propagation in aluminium panels

Abstract
Experiments with metallic panels subjected to impact loading have been performed to provide data for parametric study of ductile crack propagation. Panels made of aluminium alloy 2014 and size 300x120x3 mm, subjected to uniform tensile loading across their width, were impacted with a projectile approaching perpendicularly at 30 ms^-1 in order to induce crack propagation. Transient data recorders and a high-speed camera were used to record the data required for comparison with results of numerical modelling. A parametric study was performed to determine the material parameters that could not be measured accurately in experirnents but whose values were essential for obtaining adequate predictions of crack propagation velocity by means of finite element analysis. A crack opening angle (COA) criterion (2D analysis, ABAQUS) and a damage mechanics criterion (3D analysis, LS-DYNA) were compared.