Crack propagation in buckling plates: test results and a simplified numerical approach

The purpose of this paper is to present the first results of tests where cracks lie in the tension field of a shear forced aluminium panel. The paper's main focus is on the crack propagation behavior and possible 3D‐effects caused by the bending of the plate. A simplified numerical approach is presented to confirm the observed phenomena.

Experiments have been performed to investigate the influence of buckling on accidental damages. A simplified numerical approach is presented and compared to the experimental results.

It can be shown that the crack propagates due to buckling of the plate. The principal stress of the neutral axis of the plate has significant influence on the crack propagation.

Investigations of stability problems and damage tolerance behavior of metallic structures have been realized but mainly separately. This paper shows that cracks propagate due to buckling and that both phenomena influence one another considering accidental damages. The paper presents the first experimental and numerical results of cracked aluminium panels subjected to cyclic shear load.