Elastic and elastic–plastic fields on circular rings containing a V-notch under inclined loads

Abstract

Elastic and elastic–plastic finite element analyses are described for circular rings containing a V-notch on the internal radius. The circular rings are subjected to a pair of compressive loads at different angles to the plane of the notch axis. In the elastic analysis, the mixed-mode stress field near the notch root is calculated for a sharp tip V-notch with or without a short precrack. The analyses include calculations of the stress intensity factors of mode I and mode II, and of the energy release rate for crack extension. In the elastic–plastic analysis, the stress distribution near the notch root is presented. The relationship between the notch root radius and the plastic zone is described. The influence of the angle of loading on the distribution of elastic–plastic stresses is discussed. In order to justify the results of the elastic–plastic numerical method, a test of constant loading with a stainless steel specimen is carried out by using a Moiré interferometry method. Furthermore, 10 tests of crack initiation by cyclic and inclined loading are performed to examine the adaptation of the finite element analysis to the experiments. The results of the calculation are found to correspond to the experimental data.