Computing bounds to mixed-mode stress intensity factors in elasticity

Abstract

A bounding procedure combined with an effective error bound method for linear functionals of the displacements and a simple two points displacement extrapolation method is presented to compute the lower and upper bounds to the stress intensity factors in elastic fracture problems. First, the displacements of two nodes (or node pairs) on the crack edges are used to construct the linear extrapolation to obtain the stress intensity factors at the crack tip, so that stress intensity factors are explicitly expressed as linear functionals of the displacements. Then, a posteriori bounding method is utilized to compute the bounds to the stress intensity factors. Finally, the bounding procedure is verified by a mixed-mode homogenous elastic fracture problem and a bimaterial interface crack problem.