Computation of 2-D mixed-mode stress intensity factors by Petrov-Galerkin natural element method

Abstract

The mixed-mode stress intensity factors of 2-D angled cracks are evaluated by Petrov-Galerkin natural element (PG-NE) method in which Voronoi polygon-based Laplace interpolation functions and CS-FE basis functions are used for the trial and test functions respectively. The interaction integral is implemented in a frame of PG-NE method in which the weighting function defined over a crack-tip integral domain is interpolated by Laplace interpolation functions. Two Cartesian coordinate systems are employed and the displacement, strains and stresses which are solved in the grid-oriented coordinate system are transformed to the other coordinate system aligned to the angled crack. The present method is validated through the numerical experiments with the angled edge and center cracks, and the numerical accuracy is examined with respect to the grid density, crack length and angle. Also, the stress intensity factors obtained by the present method are compared with other numerical methods and the exact solution. It is observed from the numerical results that the present method successfully and accurately evaluates the mixed-mode stress intensity factors of 2-D angled cracks for various crack lengths and crack angles.