The chipping of coatings is studied using the cohesive zonebased cohesive finite elements formulation. An integrated analytical/experimental/numerical approach is followed. The cohesive zone models are postulated to include irreversibility, rate-dependence, and the effect of environmental factors. These postulations are both guided by and validated by a set of experiments designed to highlight various phenomenon occurring in the fracture of materials systems. The developments are applied to the industrial application of chipping of paint systems. For this application, multiple, interacting cracks propagating along unknown trajectories need to be accounted for. The cohesive finite elements approach provides a natural vehicle for such cracks. Additional applications of cohesive elements include layered constructions found in numerous engineering applications such as composites, laminated sheets, coated metal, and microelectronic devices. The proposed research is carried out in close cooperation with the DuPont Company. The experiments for validation as well as for the industrial application are carried out at DuPont. The cohesive models are developed under the guidance of DuPont researchers to ensure that these elements have full industry validity. The project serves as a unique training mechanism for graduate students, introducing them to university-industry interactions as well as to the effectiveness of combined analytical/numerical/experimental approaches in solving real-world problems.
