Abstract
A new method of determining the opening and shearing modal components of the total strain energy release rate during crack extension is described. The method is based on suppressing one mode at a time over a certain length downstream of the crack tip ( b) and letting the crack extend by a certain amount ( Δa) with this condition maintained over the length b+ Δa. The modal components thus obtained, however, do not add up to the total strain energy release rate ( G) and are also dependent on the length b. These approximate values and the total strain energy release rate are used as a starting point to obtain the modal components that would add up to the total G and are not associated with any particular b. Numerical examples of cracks in homogeneous media and those along bi-material interfaces are presented to illustrate the methodology and the relative independence of the results of the mesh size and the length of Δa selected. It appears that the modal components thus obtained are rationally based global parameters which are determinable without considering local crack-tip stress distribution.
Published Version
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