A Method of Analysis for Two-Dimensional Crack Problems by the Boundary Element Method

Abstract

This paper presents a method for the analysis of two-dimensional crack problems using the boundary element method. In the present method, a domain to be analyzed is divided into two regions : the near-tip region, which is circular in shape and centered at the crack tip, and the outer region. The displacements and stresses in the near-tip region are represented by the truncated infinite series of the eigenfunction with unknown coefficients. The stress intensity factor is represented by one of the coefficients. The outer region is formulated by the boundary element method. The system of linear algebraic equations with respect to nodal displacements, nodal tractions and the coefficients of the series are constructed by discretized boundary integration in the outer region and the continuity conditions. To test the accuracy of the present method the center slant cracked rectangular plate under a uniform tension has been analyzed. The isoparametric linear elements are used. The calculated dimensionless stress intensity factors are in good accuracy.