The elastic analysis of arbitrary thin shells having part-through cracks, using the integrated line spring and the semiloof shell elements

Abstract

This work describes the Integrated Line Spring Element, which was specially designed to be associated to Semiloof shell elements for the simulation of the structural behaviour of the remaining ligament in a part-through crack in a thin shell. In its formulation, it follows the “line spring model” introduced by Rice and Levy (1972) for virtually infinite plates of small thickness. This element was used to determine the stress intensity factor for internal and external semielliptical cracks in arbitrary shells under mode I, mode II and mode III load conditions.