Three-dimensional finite-element analyses of corner cracks at stress concentrations

Stress-intensity factors for corner cracks at a semicircular edge notch in a plate subjected to tensile load were obtained by using three-dimensional finite-element analyses. Stress-intensity factor solutions were obtained for a wide range of crack shapes, crack sizes and notch-radius-to-plate-thickness ratios. The range of crack-depth-to-plate-thickness (a/t) ratios considered was 0.2-0.8 and the crack-depth-to-crack-length (a/c) ratios were 0.4 and 1. Two notch-radii-to-plate-thickness (r/t) ratios were studied: 1.5 and 3. The stress-intensity factor solutions are compared with equations that were developed from these results and others from the literature. Copyright (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.