Solid Mechanics EMM331

Ir. Dr. Feizal Yusof

Fracture Mechanics 2
Week 11-12 (6 hrs)

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 Stress Intensity Factor, K
Preamble
1. The strain energy release rate G is based
on the pretext that crack growth is related
to the plastic work at the crack tip. But
this is still considered to be purely elastic
material response and is not feasible to
tough engineering materials.
2. But energy approach has been improved
for tough materials through the J-integral
method.
3. Metallic materials that develop small crack
tip plasticity and fail by brittle manner can
be characterized by the stress-intensity
factor approach K.
1. Irwin (1957) who developed the stress
intensity factor or K approach to
consider non-linear behavior of
engineering materials in fracture.
2. Irwin examined the equations that had
been developed for the stresses in the
vicinity of a sharp crack in a large plate
as shown in Fig 13
Fig 13

4. K concept is important because it establish

the transferability of crack tip stress field
data from test specimen to real cracks
unlike the G approach which is not
applicable to various geometries other
than crack in infinite geometry. 2
 Stress intensity factor
3. Using the equations of elasticity, 5. The stress field in the vicinity of the
Westergaard (1939) and Irwin were crack was taken to be:
able to define the stress and 𝜎!
𝜎= …(8)
displacement fields in the immediate 𝑎 "
vicinity of the crack tip. 1− "
𝑥
4. Energy release as a function of crack 6. Near the tip of the crack, x = a , the
tip stresses can be discussed with Fig stress becomes infinitely large, while
14 below: sa is the asymptotic limit when x is
large.
7. The stress intensity factor can be
derived from Eq (8).
8. From Eq 8:
𝑥𝜎!
𝜎= …(9)
"
𝑥 −𝑎 "

9. In order to be consistent with the

notation used by Westergaard and
Fig 14
Irwin,
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 Stress intensity factor
10. The distance ahead of the crack tip is 15. Multiplying numerator and
given as: denominator by p1/2, Eq 12
𝑟 = 𝑥 − 𝑎 …(10) transforms into:
11. Combining Eqs 9 and 10: 𝜎! 𝜋𝑎 #/"
𝜎= …(13)
𝑟 + 𝑎 𝜎! 2𝜋𝑟 #/"
𝜎=
√(𝑟 " + 2𝑟𝑎 + 𝑎" ) 16. Or
𝑟 + 𝑎 𝜎! 𝐾
= …(11) 𝜎= #/"
…(14)
"
𝑟 + 2𝑟𝑎 2𝜋𝑟
12. when r << a 17. According to solution by
(𝑟 + 𝑎) → 𝑎 Westergaard, the primary interest is
13. and in the y-axis which is the crack
(𝑟 " + 2𝑟𝑎) → 2𝑟𝑎 opening stress:
K 𝜃 𝜃 3𝜃
14. simplifying: 𝜎! = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 1 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠 …(15)
2𝜋𝑟 "/$ 2 2 2
𝑎 #/" 18. For the crack opening stress to be a
𝜎= 𝜎! …(12)
2𝑟 maximum, q = 0,
𝐾
𝜎= …(16)
2𝜋𝑟 #⁄"
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 Stress intensity factor
19. The equations for the elastic stress (Note2: K has dimensions 𝑁𝑚()/" deriving
distribution at the crack tip are as from the combination of stress and crack
follows : length i.e. 𝜎 𝑎 gives
*
×𝑚#/" )
K 𝜃 𝜃 3𝜃 +!
𝜎! = 𝑐𝑜𝑠 1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠
2𝜋𝑟 "/$ 2 2 2 (Note3: length multiple conversion (crack
𝜎% =
K 𝜃 𝜃
𝑐𝑜𝑠 1 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠
3𝜃 …(17) length from mm to m for example) involves
2𝜋𝑟 "/$ 2 2 2
𝜎!% =
K 𝜃 𝜃
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑠
3𝜃 more than a simple multiple of ten, as there
2𝜋𝑟 "/$ 2 2 2
is a square root involved. The most
Or more simply convenient unit are 𝑀𝑁/𝑚()/" although
𝐾
𝜎&' = 𝑓&' 𝜃 …(18) some might use 𝑀𝑃𝑎 𝑚
2𝜋𝑟
20. The implication of the K-approach is:
And 𝐾 = 𝜎 𝜋𝑎 …(19) suppose one wishes to examine two
And for other geometries, there will be a quite different cracked geometries A &
different dependence on load and crack B below Fig 15 :
length. (Note1: as r → 0, all the stresses
tend to infinity on account of the
assumption of a zero crack tip radius) Fig 15

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 Stress intensity factor
21. However if the combination of load,
P, dimensions and crack length, 𝑎, in
each case is such that the value of 𝐾
is the same for each cracked body,
22. Then the crack tip stress distributions
will be identical. If we were to
examine for each cracked body, then
the crack tip stress distribution will
be identical.
23. If we were to examine the pattern of
stress at each crack tip
photoelasticallya for example, we
would not be able to see any
difference.
a
24. The conclusion which may be drawn
therefore, is that both examples
would have an equal tendency to
fracture (assuming they were made
from the same material).
25. Thus there is no need to find the
complete stress distribution for each
case to be treated – it is sufficient to
find the dependence of 𝐾 on load, P,
crack length, 𝑎, and any other
relevant geometric dimensions
Note: the K term has a subscript I and
this refers to the way the load is applied.
Irwin defined there are 3 ways load are
applied I, II, III. I – opening load, II –
shearing load, III – tearing load, shown in
Fig 16.
Fig 16
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 Stress intensity factor
- so 𝐾, means the stress intensity factor 26. So from point 25 from previous slide,
for a crack loaded in opening mode Irwin observed that the stresses (𝜎= ,
- 𝐾,, means the stress intensity factor for 𝜎> , 𝜎=> ) are proportional to 𝜋𝑎,
a crack loaded in shearing mode where a is the half- length of the
- 𝐾,,, means the stress intensity factor crack.
for a crack loaded in a tearing mode. 27. On this basis, Irwin defined a stress
In all the modes, the opening mode is intensity factor, KI as:
most typical case of fracture, so in eqs 𝐾, = 𝜎 𝜋𝑎 …(19)
17, 18, 19, as we can restate for opening where s is sfar
load as: 28. The critical stress intensity factor is
K& 𝜃 𝜃 3𝜃
𝜎! =
2𝜋𝑟 "/$
𝑐𝑜𝑠
2
1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛
2
𝑐𝑜𝑠
2
sometimes referred to as the fracture
𝜎% =
K& 𝜃
𝑐𝑜𝑠 1 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠
𝜃 3𝜃 toughness and will be designated Kc.
2𝜋𝑟 "/$ 2 2 2
K& 𝜃 𝜃 3𝜃 29. And if the fracture toughness is
𝜎!% = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑠
2𝜋𝑟 "/$ 2 2 2 measured from opening mode, the
𝐾&
𝜎'( = 𝑓'( 𝜃 term becomes 𝐾𝐼𝑐 .
2𝜋𝑟
𝐾& = 𝜎 𝜋𝑎 30. A selected typical values for 𝐾,?
materials is shown on Table 1 7
Example of Critical stress intensity factor, KIc

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 Stress Intensity Factor: Full field
geometries
30. In order to extend the applicability of
stress intensity factor beyond the
case of a central crack in an infinite
plate, K is usually expressed in the
more general form:
𝐾, = 𝑌 𝜎 𝜋𝑎 …(20)
31. Where 𝑌 is a configuration factor
being a function of geometry and 𝑎 is
the half-length of a central crack or
the full length of an edge crack.

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 Stress Intensity Factor
32. Figures below shows some crack d) Penny-shaped internal crack
Y
configurations of practical interest …(24)
and the expression for KI are as
follows:
a) Central crack of length 2a in a sheet of finite width
Y
e) Semi-elliptical surface flaw
Y
…(21)

..(25)

b) Edge cracks in a plane of finite width

Y
f) Three-point bending Y
…(22)

…(26)

Y
c) Single edge cracks in a plate of finite width
…(23)
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 Example 1
Questions Hints:
A pressure vessel is to be fabricated from Find the critical crack length for both
plate steel which may either : materials, use eqn 20 from the notes
i) a maraging (18% nickel) steel with sY
= 1900 MN/m2, KIC = 82 MN/m3/2 or Design stress, sd = sY/S
ii) a medium strength steel with sY =
1000 MN/m2, KIC = 50 MN/m3/2.
Which of these two steels has the better
tolerance to defects.
and compare their fracture toughness if
they are to have the same defect
tolerance
A factor of safety, S = 2 should be used
for the design stress.

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 Example 1 Solution
1. Sketch a pressure vessel: 4. i) Maraging steel:

2. The plate

5. Medium strength steel

3. Assume the plate has some micro You do the solution for the medium
cracks due to manufacturing strength steel!!
processes .

2a

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 Example 1 solution
6. Compare the 2 sizes of crack 8. For the last question, we want to
allowable in the plate of the have a defect of 6.36 mm in maraging
materials. Which is longer ? steel, what is a KIc for maraging steel?
– Medium strength steel, 2𝑎 = 6.36 mm
– Maraging steel, 2𝑎 = 4.74 mm
7. The longer the crack means the more
tolerant the material to cracks. Or in
other word, the material of the plate For same defect, KIc of maraging steel is
has better tolerance to defect. higher than medium strength steel.

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 Example 2
The accident report of a steel pressure vessel which fractured in a brittle manner
when an internal pressure of 19 MN/m2 had been applied to it shows that the vessel
had a longitudinal surface crack 8 mm long and 3.2 mm deep. A subsequent fracture
mechanics test on a sample of the steel showed that it had a KIc value of 75 MN/m3/2.
If the vessel diameter was 1 m and its wall thickness was 10 mm, propose whether the
data reported are consistent with the observed failure. The crack calibration factor 𝜙
for a longitudinal crack is given below.

Fig 1a: Semi-elliptical surface crack Fig 2a: Crack calibration factor for
semi-elliptical surface crack

1.12
𝐾=𝜎 𝜋𝑎
𝜙 14
 Example 2 solution
1. Sketch the problem

2. Find the 𝜙 by drawing

a line from the y-axis to intercept
the curve and the read off the 𝜙
value on the x-axis

3. Write the K formula

4. Insert infos/data given

in the question to the
formula

5. Calculate the critical stress

At which the failure occurred

6. Calculate the failed I assume you all know this formula

pressure using the critical by now!!
stress values you got above
*
7. Give a conclusion
from your answer
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*LEFM means the K-approach
 What did we learn today?
1. We derive the stress intensity factor
approach 𝐾 = 𝜎 𝜋𝑎 for a crack in an
infinite geometry.
2. For finite geometry, the equation is
change to add the effect of geometry
under a factor Y as 𝐾 = 𝑌 𝜎 𝜋𝑎
3. The subscript with K refers to the way
the load is being applied to a crack. KI
is opening mode, KII is shearing mode
and KIII is tearing mode.
4. The stress at an elastic crack is given
@
by 𝜎&' = "AB 𝑓&' 𝜃 , if you are
concerned only at the opening stress
ahead of the crack a 𝜃 = 0°, then
@
𝜎> =
"AB
5. The K approach is based on the
transferability of stress field.
6. 𝐾,? is a material property and it is
measured from a plane strain
fracture toughness test specimen.
7. You must be clear on the meaning of
the term infinite geometry and finite
geometry.
8. If a material can accommodate a
relatively longer crack in a geometry,
then the material is tolerant to defect
compared to geometry that can
accommodate a short crack.
9. You don’t have to memorize the Y
calibration factor as it will be given to
you in the problem you are solving.
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Check out Exercise 5 problems on e-learning at week 11
- You have to do within 40 mins
- You need to submit your solution on power point and
provide a recorded voice to explain your answers to the
questions.

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