by Ayatollahi, M.R.; Pavier, M.J.; Smith, D.J.

The elastic T-stress has been recognised as a measure of constraint around the tip of a crack in contained yielding problems. A review of the literature indicates that most methods for obtaining T are confined to simple geometry and loading configurations. This paper explores direct use of finite element analysis for calculating T. It is shown that for mode I more reliable results with less mesh refinement can be achieved if crack flank nodal displacements are used. Methods are also suggested for calculating T for any mixed mode I/II loading without having to calculate stress intensity factors. There is good agreement between the results from the proposed methods and analytical results. T-stress is determined for a test configuration designed to investigate brittle and ductile fracture in mixed mode loading. It is shown that in shear loading of a cracked specimen T vanishes only when a truly antisymmetric field of deformation is provided. However this rarely happens in practice and the presence of T in shear is often inevitable. It is shown that for some cases the magnitude of T in shear is much more than that for tension. The effect of crack length is also investigated.

DOI: 10.1023/A:1007581125618
Print publication date: 6/1/1998
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