AFGROW
Registration is required to obtain the current version of AFGROW. Once an AFGROW user account has been approved, AFGROW is available for download on the AFGROW web site via the My AFGROW page. This page is only visible when a user has logged in to their account. AFGR0W 5.4 is the latest version and comes in 64-bit.
AFGROW is a Damage Tolerance Analysis (DTA) framework that allows users to analyze crack initiation, fatigue crack growth, and fracture to predict the life of metallic structures. AFGROW (Air Force Grow), was originally developed by The Air Force Research Laboratory. It is now being developed and supported by LexTech, Inc.
The classic stress intensity factor library provides solutions for over 70 different crack geometries (including axial, bending and bearing loading for many cases). New solutions for API-579 pipe geometries have been added in the current release. In addition, an advanced, multiple crack capability allows AFGROW to analyze two independent cracks in a plate (including hole effects), non-symmetric corner cracked holes, countersunk holes, continuing damage, and widespread damage solutions. Finite Element (FE) based solutions are available for two, non-symmetric corner cracks at holes as well as cracks growing toward holes. This capability allows AFGROW to handle cases with more than one crack growing from a row of fastener holes. A solution for combinations of through and corner cracks on either side of a hole (axial, bending and bearing load cases) has also been added in this release.
AFGROW is one of the most efficient and widely used crack growth life prediction tool available today. AFGROW is mainly used for aerospace and pipeline applications; however, it can be applied to any type of metallic structure that experiences fatigue cracking. AFGROW is also a very flexible and user-friendly computer program.
AFGROW implements five different crack growth rate material models (Forman Equation, Walker Equation, Tabular lookup, Harter-T Method and the NASGRO Equation) to determine crack growth per applied loading cycle. A new tabular lookup material database has been included in the current release for over 85 materials. An option to use different tabular data for each crack growth direction and/or environmental condition is now available. Other AFGROW user options include five load interaction (retardation) models (Closure, FASTRAN, Hsu, Wheeler, and Generalized Willenborg), a strain-life based fatigue crack initiation model, and the ability to perform a crack growth analysis for structures with a bonded repair. A new crack initiation strain-life material parameter database is included for 39 materials.
AFGROW also includes useful options such as: user-defined stress intensity solutions, user-defined beta correction factors (ability to estimate stress intensity factors for cases, which may not be an exact match for one of the stress intensity solutions in the AFGROW library), and a residual stress analysis capability. A variety of other useful Tools are included (spectrum filtering, K-solution filtering, spectrum cycle counting, extensive cut/paste, and output to MS Excel). The updated AFGROW GUI includes real time crack growth animation, crack length vs. cycle plotting, and crack growth rate model plots with data overlay capability. English and metric units may be converted on the fly.
AFGROW provides COM (Component Object Model) Automation interfaces that allows AFGROW to interface with other Windows applications to perform repetitive tasks or control AFGROW from these applications. AFGROW also includes a plug-in stress intensity solution interface that allows AFGROW users to develop additional stress intensity factor (K) solutions. Users may create their own stress intensity solutions by writing and compiling dynamic link libraries (DLLs) using relatively simple routines. This includes the ability to animate crack growth for these solutions. This interface also makes it possible for FE analysis software to pass stress intensity information to AFGROW in real time, allowing for a tremendous amount of analytical flexibility.
Additional AFGROW COM tutorials are available on our YouTube page:
