Simulation of Mixed-Mode I/II Fatigue Crack Propagation in Adhesive Joints with a Modified Cohesive Zone Model

A model to predict fatigue crack growth in bonded joints under mixed mode I/II conditions is developed in this work. The model is implemented in the finite element software ABAQUS using the related USDFLD subroutine. The present model is based on the cohesive zone (CZ) concept, where damage develops according to the value of the opening/sliding at the bondline under static loading, and according to a cyclic damage accumulation law under fatigue loading. The damage accumulation law is obtained by distributing the cyclic crack area increment over the process zone ahead of the crack tip, where the cyclic crack area increment is calculated according to a Paris-like law that relates the crack growth rate to the applied loading. In this way, the experimental crack growth rate is related directly to damage evolution in the cohesive zone, i.e., no additional parameters have to be tuned besides the quasi-static cohesive zone parameters.