Numerical research on dynamic fracture process of magnalium alloy under impact load

The impact fracture process of the magnalium alloy structure was investigated using the XFEM-based cohesive model. First, by the numerical modeling carried out in abaqus software based on XFEM, the fracture mode of magnalium alloy specimens at different bullet impact velocities were obtained from doing a three-point bending experiment. After this, the impact fracture process of experimental model under three different loads at respectively three bullet impact velocities of 12.2, 15.1 and 26.3 m/s was simulated using the XFEM, and the alloy's failure pattern was obtained by performing numerical calculation, the results from which are consistent with those obtained from the experimental. The simulation results show that Mode Ⅰ is the major fracture mode of the specimen, and the crack propagates mostly along the initial crack direction. The crack makes a turn at a point 3~4 mm from the impacted part of the specimen, where the fixed fracture mode is dominant. This agrees with both the experimental results presented in this paper and with the calculated results found in the related literature. Finally, the reason for the fixed fracture mode in the specimen was also analyzed in the paper.