Stress intensity factors for circular hole and inclusion using finite element alternating method

A centre cracked plate subjected to remote tensile and shear loading is considered for the analysis. Effect of circular hole and influence of shrunk fit inclusion on stress intensity factors are studied. Multiply connected domain boundary value problem is solved using finite element alternating method (FEAM). Parametric studies involving drilled hole/inclusion sizes and locations are investigated. Energy release rates evaluated using the stress field obtained by FEAM are in good agreement with other methods. The optimum location in reducing the stress intensity factor with hole/inclusion is obtained and located at a distance 20% of semi-crack length from crack tip on the side opposite the ligament for Mode-I loading and it is also observed that the location is almost invariant of hole sizes. For Mode-II loading, the optimum location for the hole is located at a distance about 23% of semi-crack length from the middle of the crack along the transverse direction.