FRACTURE MECHANICS
Important point while using Irwin’s correction to determine SIF
If in the given problem, the mentioned plate is finite plate then while using Irwin’s
correction, we have to go for iterative process to determine SIF.
If in the given problem, the mentioned plate is infinite plate then while using Irwin’s
correction, we will not go for iterative process to determine SIF.
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
FRACTURE MECHANICS
Exercise
1. A large plate of 5 mm thickness, made of medium carbon steel (ys = 350 MPa)
with a through-the-thickness centre-crack of 2a = 40 mm length, is subjected to a
stress of 150 MPa. For Mode I loading, determine the effective crack length using
Irwin's correction.
Solution
In the given problem, the mentioned plate is infinite plate hence while using Irwin’s
correction, we will not go for iterative process to determine SIF.
We start by assuming that the plate is loaded in plane stress.
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
FRACTURE MECHANICS
Since rp is not negligible in comparison to plate thickness, our assumption of plane
stress conditions is justified.
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
FRACTURE MECHANICS
The plastic zone size is given by
And then the effective crack length becomes:
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
FRACTURE MECHANICS
Exercise
2. A steel plate (ys = 350 MPa) of width 80 mm and thickness 5 mm has a centre
crack 2a = 40 mm length. If the far field stress is 150 MPa, determine the SIF and
the length of the effective crack, using Irwin's correction.
Solution
In the given problem, the mentioned plate is finite plate hence while using Irwin’s
correction, we have to go for iterative process to determine SIF.
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
FRACTURE MECHANICS
Questions
1. In comparison to a plane strain case, a plane stress loading gives much larger
plastic zone for the same SIF? Why?
2. Looking at a fractured surface, can you distinguish whether the loading was in
plane stress, plane strain or transitional?
3. Show the yield planes of plane stress cases through a clear diagram.
4. Why is the fracture plane of plane strain case normal to the free surface and in the
plane of the original crack surface for Mode I loading?
5. Why is burr developed during machining?
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
FRACTURE MECHANICS
Problems
1. Show that the approximate plastic zone shape around the crack tip of a Mode II
crack in an infinite plate is given by:
For plane stress employing Mises yield criterion. Plot the shape of the plastic
zone.
2. Apply the Mises yield criterion to show that the approximate plastic zone shape
around the crack tip of a Mode II crack in an infinite plate for plane strain loading is
given by
Plot the shape of the plastic zone.
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
FRACTURE MECHANICS
Problems
3. Invoke the Mises yield criterion to show that the approximate plastic zone around
the tip of a Mode III crack is a circle of radius
4. Apply Irwin's correction to determine the SIF, the length of the effective crack and
the plastic zone size for an edge crack of 15 mm length in a plate 80 mm width.
The thickness of the plate is 5 mm and the far field stress is 150 MPa ( ys = 350
MPa)
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
FRACTURE MECHANICS
Problems
5. A thin plate with an edge crack of 35 mm length is loaded in Mode I with a far field
stress of 300 MPa. If the yield stress of the material is 900 MPa and the material is
idealized as elastic-perfectly plastic, determine the plastic zone size on x1-axis
using Irwin's correction. What is the length of plastic zone size if the Dugdale
Approach is applied?
Vikas Chaudhari BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus