On the applicability of linear elastic fracture mechanics scaling relations in the analysis of intergranular fracture of brittle polycrystals

Crack propagation in polycrystalline specimens is studied by means of a generalized finite element method with linear elastic isotropic grains and cohesive grain boundaries. The corresponding mode-I intergranular cracks are characterized using a grain boundary brittleness criterion that depends on cohesive law parameters and average grain...

Role of microstructural geometry in the deformation and failure of polycrystalline materials

A deeper understanding of the deformation and failure mechanisms in polycrystals is of utmost importance for their reliable use as engineering materials. These mechanisms are strongly influenced by the geometry of the granular arrangement. In this work, two-dimensional intergranular quasi-static crack propagation in brittle polycrystals and...

Analysis of intergranular crack propagation in brittle polycrystals with a generalized finite element method and network algorithm

Two different approaches to intergranular crack propagation in brittle polycrystals are contrasted. Crack paths resulting from a method that allows a detailed description of the stress field within a polycrystal are compared to cracks dictated by topological considerations. In the first approach, a fracture path is determined with a Generalized...