A solution for SIFs of part-elliptical cracks based on approximate crack surface displacement and energy method

Abstract

A procedure has been developed to derive stress intensity factors (SIFs) for part-elliptical cracks based on an approximate crack surface displacement mode assumption for general configurations. The crack surface displacement mode is composed of available 2D crack surface displacement modes at intersections of the crack surface and boundaries, or in symmetry planes. Along with the obtained crack surface displacement mode, SIFs are determined by the magnitude of the crack surface displacement derived from energy release rate for virtual crack increments. The procedure was analytically verified with the exact solution for an embedded crack in an infinite body subjected to uniform crack surface pressure. Several examples show the obtained results in acceptable agreements with available solutions.