Introduction to FRANC3D

FRANC3D Development History

• 1988 to 1994
– FRANC3D v1.0 BEM only
• 1994 to 2001
– FRANC3D v2.0 BEM & Thin Shell FEM
• 2001 to 2005
– FRANC3D v3.0 BEM & Thin Shell & Solid FEM (ANSYS)
• 2005 to 2009
– FRANC3D v4.0 Solid FEM only (ANSYS, ABAQUS, NASTRAN)
– Completely new code written in C++
• 2009 to 2010
– FRANC3D v5.0 – Command line interface and other enhancements
• 2010 to 2014
– FRANC3D v6 – Fretting Fatigue, Fatigue Life, Post-processing & other
enhancements
 FRANC3D Development History

• 2015-16
– FRANC3D v7.0
• New geometric intersection engine for crack
insertion (increased robustness)
• Built in sub-model generation tool
• Expanded Fatigue Crack Growth Rate library
• Expanded automatic FCG stopping options
• Robust automatic method for fatigue life integration
• DARWIN-FRANC3D Interface
• Others
 FRANC3D Version 7 Software

• FRacture ANalysis Code 3-D uses the finite element (FE)

method to simulate crack growth
• Designed to work in conjunction with commercial finite
element codes:
– ANSYS
– ABAQUS
– NASTRAN

• Computes stress
intensity factors
(SIFs) for
arbitrary 3D
crack geometry
 FRANC3D Software

• Adaptively remeshes 3D FE model to simulate crack

growth; uses explicit crack geometry
• Several elements used to model the crack front:

• Written in the C++

• Runs on Windows and Linux systems
• Programming interface that is an extension to the
Python programming language
 What Does FRANC3D Do?

• Inserts a flaw into an existing finite element (FE)

model and remeshes, using special crack-front
elements.
• Computes stress intensity factors (SIF’s) for all nodes
along a crack front for isotropic or anisotropic
materials.
• Predicts how a crack will grow (relative extension and
angle) using engineering growth criteria, and extends
the crack geometry and remeshes.
 What FRANC3D is NOT

• Not a general FE pre-processor or post-processor:

external software required to build uncracked FE models
and to visualize results (FRANC3D can display deformations) .
• Not a FE analysis program:
external FE code is required (e.g., ANSYS, ABAQUS or
NASTRAN) to perform stress analysis.
• Not a “fast running” fatigue life prediction code with
stored analytical or table-look up K solutions (e.g.,
AFGROW, NASGRO or DARWIN).
Global and Local “sub-model” Terminology
FRANC3D Modifies the Sub-model
FRANC3D Maintains Mesh Compatibility
Re-Combined (Full Model) Analysis
Crack Growth Process
FRANC3D Software
 FRANC3D FE Model Import

• FRANC3D support the following input

finite element files:

– ANSYS: *.cdb files

– ABAQUS: *.inp files

– NASTRAN: *.bdf (or *.nas) files

 FRANC3D FE Model Import
FRANC3D has three options for importing uncracked FE Models
• Import a complete model
• Import and divide the model in FRANC3D
• Import an already divided model

Depending on selection, different dialogs will be displayed next.

Importing full model
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import and Divide the Model in FRANC3D
Import Already Divided Model
Export Model
 Reading Analysis Results

• File Read Results menu item allows the user to choose the
analysis results file to be read
• For ANSYS, FRANC3D reads
– *.dtp file (contains displacements, temperatures ) that is created using the
FRANC3D generated ANSYS macros
– *.dsp file (contains nodal listing of displacements).
• For ABAQUS, FRANC3D reads
– *.dtp file (contains displacements, temperatures ) that is created using the
FRANC3D generated ABAQUS Python script
– *.fil file (contains nodal listing of displacements).
– ABAQUS CAE Report file format.
• For NASTRAN, FRANC3D reads
– *.pch file (contains displacements, temperatures )
Reading Analysis Results
Crack Insertion
 Process of Inserting Flaw

• Select the flaw type

– Zero volume crack
– Ellipsoidal void
• Define the flaw dimension
• Locate position of the flaw in the submodel
• Define the crack front template mesh
Flaw Type Panel
FRANC3D Crack Types
Crack Insertion Wizard (Elliptical Flaw)
Crack Insertion Wizard (Elliptical Flaw)
Crack Insertion Wizard (Elliptical Flaw)
Crack Insertion Wizard (Elliptical Flaw)
Crack Insertion Wizard (Elliptical Flaw)
Crack Insertion Wizard (Elliptical Flaw)
Crack Insertion Wizard (Elliptical Flaw)
Crack-Front Element Types
Crack Front Mesh Template Panel
Meshing Parameters
Advanced Template Options
Flaw Insertion Status
Crack Insertion Wizard – Library Shapes
User-Defined Crack Shape
Surface Mesh after Crack Insertion
Multiple Flaw Insertion
Flaw From Files
Crack Insertion – into uncracked FE mesh
Uncracked FE Mesh – create surface geometry
Crack Insertion – define flaw geometry
Crack Insertion – crack-front template mesh
Crack Insertion – crack-front template mesh
Crack Insertion – intersection and trimming
Crack Insertion – surface remeshing
Crack Insertion – pyramids and tetrahedra
Crack Insertion – sub-model limitation
 FRANC3D (restart) Files

.fdb – FRANC3D restart file

stores crack geometry, growth model, SIF history,
reference to other files described below
.cdb/.inp/.bdf – original uncracked FE model and cracked FE model files
.dtp – results file with displacements, temperatures, contact pressures
.dsp from ANSYS, .fil from ABAQUS, .pch from NASTRAN
also supported
.crk – crack geometry
.log – GUI session log file contains FRANC3D commands
.fcg – fatigue crack growth data (SIF history and crack growth model)
_STEP_###.* – automatically named and numbered crack growth step files
FE analysis code files: i.e. .db & .rst for ANSYS, .odb for ABAQUS
 Crack Growth Prediction

• Computing crack growth is a three-step process:

– Kink angle for each node (direction)
• Based on the crack-front stresses in polar coordinates
• Several options for computing kink angle
– Relative amount of local crack extension for each FE node
• Computed using either a quasi-static or a fatigue growth
model such as Paris model
– Smooth the crack front
• Polynomial curves used to smooth and extrapolate crack front
Crack Growth Prediction
Crack Propagation Kink Angle
Kink Angle: Max Stress Criterion (isotropy)
Crack Propagation Relative Extension
Fatigue Crack Growth
and Fatigue Life
Example Simulation: 22 Steps of Growth
Example Simulation
Reducing SIF (K) Data to a Single DOF
Conventional Lifing with FRANC3D Results
Determining a Single DOF Path(s)
Life Predictions For Different Paths
Single DOF Life Predictions
Problems With the Single DOF Approach
Problems With the Single DOF Approach
Problems With the Single DOF Approach
Multiple/Variable DOF Approach
Multiple/Variable DOF Approach
Multiple/Variable DOF Approach
Compare to Single DOF Predictions
Benefits of Multiple/Variable DOF Approach
Benefits of Multiple/Variable DOF Approach
Fatigue Crack Growth Rate Model Library
Fatigue Crack Growth Rate Model
Crack Growth Stopping Criteria
FRANC3D Crack
Growth
FRANC3D Quasi-Static Crack
Growth Procedure
FRANC3D Quasi-Static
Crack Growth Model
Plasticity Analogy for Quasi-
Static Crack Growth
2D Quasi-Static Crack Growth
FRANC3D Fatigue Crack
Growth Procedure
Constant & Variable
Amplitude Loads
 Transforming Crack
Growth Predictions to
Geometry & Mesh
FRANC3D Crack Front Smoothing
FRANC3D Crack Front Template Parameters
FRANC3D Crack Extension
FRANC3D Session Log and Playback
FRANC3D Session Log and Playback
 FRANC3D Python
Programming Interface

• The FRANC3D program has a programming interface that is an

extension to the Python programming language.
• Python is an open source, object oriented, scripting language,
which is popular in engineering and scientific computing
community (e.g., it is used to drive the ABAQUS GUI).
• The Python interface allows one to automate repetitive and
possibly error prone tasks.
• It also provides a possible strategy for coupling FRANC3D with
other computational applications.
A simple PyF3D Program
Benchmark Examples
Modified CT Specimens
Crack Trace on The Face of
Gear Tooth
Industry Example
Industry Example
Industry Example
THANK YOU