Effect of plastic deformation at the crack tip in a crystal on the direction of the tip growth under a mixed load

Evolution of plastic deformation at the tip of a wedge-shaped crack in a crystal under planar strain (modes I and II) was calculated for different cleavage planes, easy-slip systems, angles at the wedge tip, and ratios of the external extension and shear loads. Time distributions are obtained for the plastic deformation, the effective shear stress, the stress intensity factor, and the crack growth direction under monotonic load of the crystal up to a specified limit and further relaxation to establishment of equilibrium distributions under a constant external load. Numerical calculations were performed for an α-Fe crystal.