An analysis on three-dimensional effects near the tip of a crack in an elastic plate

An infinite plate containing a finite through crack under tensile loading is analysed by Fourier transform based on the Kane-Mindlin kinematic assumptions for the quasi-three-dimensional deformation of plates in extension. The asymptotic expressions of stress and displacement fields near the crack tip, the variation of the stress intensity factor with the plate-thickness and the three-dimensional deformation zone near the crack tip are investigated. The results of the analysis show that, (a) the crack-tip stress and displacement fields accounting for the plate-thickness effects are different from the plane stress solutions and this is true even for extremely small parameter (=1–vh/6 a). In a very small region near the crack tip, plane strain solutions prevail; (b) the ratio of the stress intensity factor K_I to the corresponding plane stress one K_I, K_I/K _I ^o , approaches 1/(1–v²) as tends to zero; (c) plane stress solutions can give satisfactory results for points a distance from the crack tip greater than about three-fourths of the plate-thickness; (d) the linear elastic result for the zone of three-dimensional effects is approximately valid for an elasto-plastic material with linear strain-hardening when the plastic tangential mudulus E_t is not very small.The Project Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China.