The Behaviour of a Process Zone at the Root of a Deep Sharp Flaw for Mode I Loading

Abstract

The process zone representation of non-linear behaviour at the root of a flaw or crack is frequently used to quantify fracture initiation scenarios. In a paper presented at the 2002 PVP Conference, the author showed that with regard to a process zone at the root of a deep sharp flaw for Mode III loading conditions, its behaviour can be described, to a good degree of accuracy, by inputting the stress distribution ahead of the actual flaw root into an analysis of a process zone at the root of a semi-infinite crack in an infinite solid. The present paper describes an analysis of the analogous Mode I loading situation, with the results being compared with those obtained by a procedure which blends the small and large s/ρ behaviours where s is the process zone size and ρ is the flaw root radius of curvature.