Simulation of corrosion fatigue crack growth under mixed-mode loading

The kinking of a corrosion crack due to mixed-mode fatigue loading is studied using an adaptive finite element procedure. The rate of material dissolution is assumed to be proportional to the stretching of the corroding surface. The dissolution of material is governed by a corrosion law, where no criterion is needed for neither crack growth nor growth direction. The problem is treated as a general moving boundary problem. The kink angles are found to be in very good agreement with results for sharp cracks using criteria reported in the literature.