ME 404/504 Finite element applications in Engineering

Homework 5. Due: Friday, Nov 14, 2014

1. A steel sphere impacts an aluminum alloy plate at a velocity v = 150 km/h. The sphere
diameter is d = 1 cm. The plate is 100 x 100 wide and 5 cm thick, and is completely fixed on the
lateral sides. The angle between the direction of motion and the normal to the aluminum plate
is . Consider for the analysis the following angles: (i) = 45 deg, and (ii) = 0.

Use an elastic model for the sphere, and an elastic-plastic-damage (with Johnson-Cook
plasticity damage) for the plate. For the elastic constants of each material use a database to
find relevant material properties for this simulation. For the Johnson Cook plasticity-damage
model for aluminum, use the following constants:
Johnson-Cook
Plasticity

A
[MPa]

B
[MPa]

0
[1/s]

Aluminum Plate

262

162.1

0.2783

1.34

Johnson-Cook
dynamic
damage

d1

d2

d3

d4

d5

Melting
temperature
(C)

Transition
Temperature
(C)

Reference
Strain Rate
1/s

Aluminum Plate

-0.77

1.45

0.47

1.6

651.85

20.05

Perform a finite element simulation of the impact process for each impact angle and analyze
the following data:
a) Does rebound or penetration of the plate occur?
b) Plot velocity of the sphere before and after impact.
c) Show contour the von Mises stresses and the damage in the plate after impact.
Analyze the damage in the plate.

2. A middle-tension specimen (MT) is loaded with a stress = 5 ksi. The dimensions of the

cracked plate are b = 4 in, h = 6 in, thickness t = 0.25 in and crack half-length is a = 0.8 in. The
plate material is a steel alloy with E = 30,000 ksi and v = 0.25. Considering an elastic behavior
only for the plate and using finite element simulations of a 2D model of the plate, determine:
a) The variation of the normal stress in the vertical direction from the crack tip to the
plate edge and compare this variation with the analytical solution. Create a line plot
for the two solutions and discuss your results.
b) Determine the stress intensity factor using the analytical and FE methods and
compare your results. If the fracture toughness of the material is KIc = 3 Ksiin1/2,
determine if failure by crack extension occurs or not.