Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering
Publication Date
Page Numbers
1409 to 1420
Volume
14
Issue
8
Abstract
A series of molecular dynamics simulations using the embedded atom method is conducted to investigate crack propagation under mode I loading in a Ni single crystal with and without defects. The crack system (0 0 1)[1 0 0] in a slab of 160 000 atoms was studied. Defects consisting of lines of vacancies were introduced near the crack tip. Critical loads and strain energy distributions around the crack tip are obtained. Our results indicate that the critical strain necessary for crack propagation is dependent on the defect configuration and can either increase or decrease relative to the defect-free system.