The stability of crack growth in a beam subject to combined bending and tensile loadings. II: Beam subject to rotations and lateral displacements at the ends

Abstract

The stability of crack growth in a beam subject to combined bending and tensile loadings is examined for the case where the material is very ductile. Application of both rotations and lateral displacements at the ends of the beam, allows the combined effects of bending and tensile loadings on the stability of crack growth to be assessed. The general conclusion emerging from the analysis is that tensile loadings can promote crack instability, a conclusion which accords with that reached in Part I. In the earlier work, a beam was built-in at one end, and a displacement was applied at the free end; variation of the angle which the displacement makes with the axis allowed the combined effects of bending and tensile loadings to be assessed.