Analysis of the Influence of Crack Position and Orientation on the Stability of a Flat Al7075-T651 Plate Using the Finite Element Method and the Failure Assessment Diagram

Aluminum is undoubtedly a key material in modern industry. Flat plates made of aluminum alloys are widely used in construction, aeronautics, automotive, and others. The current paper presents an analysis of the behavior of a thin plate made of Al7075-T651 aluminum alloy, subjected to a uniaxial stress, and clamped at one end. The results of the numerical simulation with FRANC2D software have been used for accurate determination of the stress intensity factors (KI, KII) and being validated for the simple cases using analytical calculations. The Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD) based on the toughness ratio Kr and the load ratio Lr has been used to evaluate the structural integrity of cracked components based on the load, its position, crack size, and the fracture properties of the material. The FAD analysis results highlight the significant influence of crack position on the values of the K factor. The edge and inclined cracks lead to increases in stress intensity factors and to the occurrence of mixed-mode loading conditions. The study demonstrates the effectiveness and usefulness of the proposed methodology in the analysis of structures with discontinuities and emphasizes the importance of crack positioning in assessing the safety of engineering components.