Influence of crack closure on the stress intensity factor for plates subjected to bending-A 3-D finite element analysis

Plates with central through cracks subjected to bending is analysed taking into account the closure of the crack faces on the compression side. A three-dimensional finite element method employing three-dimensional degenerate solid element is used for the analysis. The crack faces have been modelled such that they come in contact over an area on the compression side and interfere with each other. The influence of the crack closure on the variation of the stress intensity factor across the plate thickness is obtained for finite and infinite plate geometries. © 1983.