Weibull stress solutions for 2D cracks under mode II loading

Abstract

Weibull stress is widely used to predict the probability of cleavage fracture with local approaches. However, the calculation of Weibull stress requires detailed elastic plastic finite element analyses, which limit the application of local approaches in engineering practice. In this paper, analytic and semi-analytic solutions of Weibull stress for 2D crack/notch models with elastic and elastic–plastic materials under mode II loading are obtained, which allow the Weibull stress to be estimated according to the macroscopic fracture mechanics parameters like stress intensity factor K or J integral together with material properties. The obtained Weibull stress solutions are verified by using results of finite element analyses with modified boundary layer models and a single-edge-notched specimen. The results show that the Weibull stress solutions of this paper can predict the results calculated by direct finite element analyses very well.