A model for investigation of damaged zone mechanical properties in crack tip vicinity of orthotropic materials

Fracture phenomenon in orthotropic materials, generally associates with fracture process zone (damaged zone) in crack tip vicinity. Determination of Mechanical properties in this region can help to predict the value or even the direction of crack growth in orthotropic materials. This area contains a multitude of micro cracks which cause difficulties in analytical process of the region Also cause energy waste in damaged zone that can affect the material fracture properties. So far, several models have been proposed to determine the mechanical properties of this region, but due to the immense complexity of this region, the results have not been expressed the behavior of this region properly. Moreover, the existence methods have not been verified with new experimental and numerical data, yet. In present research, a new approach based on experimental and numerical results proposed to investigate the orthotropic damaged zone properties. This model, unlike previous models by offering a range for effective elasticity modulus, can determine the mechanical properties of this region for the presence or absence of micro-cracks interaction among them. The proposed model also, validated and compared with experimental and numerical results.