The analytical fracture behaviour of a bar in tension containing a circumferential edge crack

Abstract

This paper evaluates the analytical fracture behaviour of a bar in tension containing a circumferential edge crack. The stress intensity factor and limit load solutions available in the literature are reviewed and then used to derive the compliance and J-integral functions for a test specimen. The load at which plastic necking occurs in the specimen is also evaluated for idealized material behaviour to establish the maximum fracture toughness that can be measured as a function of specimen size. The analyses enable the optimum geometry and size of a specimen for fracture toughness measurements to be deduced.