Crystal Plasticity‐Based Investigation of Crack Propagation in AA2024 Aluminum: A Comparative Study of Damage Criteria Considering Grain Size and Orientation

ABSTRACT Conventional crack propagation methods often overlook the microscale crystalline behavior that drives crack growth. This study investigates crack propagation at the crystalline scale in AA2024 aluminum, linking crack behavior to intrinsic crystalline properties and evaluating the performance of various damage criteria. Crack initiation and growth are modeled using a crystal‐plasticity‐based extended finite element method. Crack paths are analyzed considering the effects of grain size and orientation, based on five criteria: maximum principal stress (MAXPS), maximum principal strain (MAXPE), maximum accumulated shear strain (MAXACSS), and two newly proposed measures: maximum resolved shear stress (MAXRSS) and maximum rate of work (MAXRW) on crystallographic planes. The results show that grain size and orientation significantly influence crack propagation. Furthermore, the MAXRSS and MAXRW produce similar outcomes, capturing microscale crack propagation behavior more realistically than criteria based on principal stress and strain.