Compliance Based Assessment of Stress Intensity Factor in Cracked Plates with Finite Boundary Restraint: Application to Thermal Shock Part II

Abstract

A Compliance Adjusted Weight Function (CAWF) approach has been recently developed to enable the estimation of stress intensity factor in thermal shocked cracked plates with finite boundary restraint. In this article the CAWF approach is used to analyse three case studies that collectively encompass the plate configurations, crack configurations and load configurations with which the CAWF is currently formulated. The results of these analyses highlight that the CAWF approach is suitable for estimates within 5–10% of benchmark fracture mechanics finite element values for a wide range of targeted cracked plate configurations and boundary restraint. An exception occurs for the semi-elliptical surface cracked plates where a free boundary effect can be observed at a free or near free boundary restraint condition.