Problem 2: Westergaard Method for a Crack Under

Concentrated Forces ***

E.E. Gdoutos

1. Problem

Verify that the Westergaard function for an infinite plate with a crack of length 2a sub-
jected to a pair offorces at x = b (Figure la) is

(a 2-b 2r2
P
x(z-b) z 2-a 2
ZI= (1)

y
p
b

1---0 •I•
01; X

(a)

y
p p
b b

X
a a
p p
(b)

Figure I. An infinite plate with a crack of length 2a subjected (a) to a pair offurces Pat x =band (b) to two
pair of furces at x = ± b.

E. E. Gdoutos et al. (eds.), Problems of Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2003
12 E.E. Gdoutos

Then show that the stress intensity factor of the tip x =a is given by

K-
P (~b) l/2
(2)
I- (1ta)J/2 a-b

Use these results to show that for an additional pair offorces at x = -b (Figure 1b) the
Westergaard function is

(3)

and the stress intensity factor is

(4)

2. Useful Information

The Westergaard semi-inverse method constitutes a simple and versatile tool for solv-
ing crack problems. The Westergaard function for a crack problem is an analytic func-
tion that satisfies the boundary conditions of the problem. The stress field is obtained
from the Westergard function Z. For mode-l crack problems the stresses u,, uy, rxy are
obtained from Z1 as [ 1]

uY =ReZ 1 +ylmz; (5)

rxy =-yRez;

where Re and In denote the real and imaginary parts of a function and the prime de-
notes differentiation with respect to z.

3. Solution

3.1. WESTERGAARD FUNCTION FOR PROBLEM OF FIGURE la

To verify that the function Z1 given by Eq. (1) is the Westergaard function for an infi-
nite plate with a crack of length 2a subjected to a pair of forces at x = b (Figure 1a), we
have to show that it satisfies the boundary conditions of the problem. By differentiating
Eq. (I) we obtain
 Westergaard Method for a Crack Under Concentrated Forces 13

At infinity we obtain from Eqs (1) and (6) for lzl ~ ao:
(7)

Then Eq. (5) gives for the stresses at infinity

(8)

which indicates that the stress-free boundary condition at infinity is satisfied.

For the boundary conditions along the crack length, except point x = b, we obtain from
Eqs (1) and (6) for y = 0, z = x, jxj <a that

(9a)

Re z;, lm z; are finite quantities (9b)

Under such circumstances, we obtain from the second and third Eq (5) that

(10)

which indicates that the crack lips except point x =bare stress-free.

At point x = b, y = 0 we obtain from the second Eq (5) that

(II)

which indicates the existence of a concentrated force at that point.

At point x = b, we obtain for x ~ b that

iP
ZI=---- (12)
2[ (z-b)

The magnitude of the concentrated force at point x = b, y = 0 is calculated as

14 E.E. Gdoutos

b+£ b+£ .
PY =lim JGydx =lim J- 1 tP . dx
y--+0 y--+O x (x- b)+ 1y
b-£ b-£

I. Re
=•m
b+J£ l iP(x-b-i y) d
- x
y--+0 x (x _ b)2 + y2
b-£

p . b b+£
-I X - 2P . -1 ( 8 ) 2P 1[
=--hm [ tan - -] =--hmtan - =---=-P(l3)
1[ y--+0 y b-£ 1[ y--+0 y 1[ 2

which indicates that at point x=b exists a pair of concentrated compressive forces of
magnitude P.

3.2. STRESS INTENSITY FACTOR FOR PROBLEM OF FIGURE la

The stress intensity factor can be calculated from the Westergaard function of a given
problem. For mode-l crack problems the stress intensity factor K1 is calculated by [1]

(14)

where the complex variable ~is measured from the crack tip.
We obtain

P a2-b2
K 1 = lim J2x~ - - - -
1~1--+0 x(~+a-b) ~(~+2a)

(15)

= x(a-b)
p...{2; Ja 2 -b 2
~=
P
..j;;
~+b
a-b

which shows that K1 is given by Eq. (2).

 Westergaard Method for a Crack Under Concentrated Forces 15

3.3. WESTERGAARD FUNCTION FOR PROBLEM OF FIGURE 1b

The Westergaard function for a pair offorces at x =- b is obtained from Eq. (1) as

Z 1(-b) = p (16)
x (z+b)

Thus, the Westergaard function Z1 for the problem of Figure 1b is obtained by adding
the Westergaard function for a pair of concentrated forces at points x =band x =-b.
We have

(17)

which shows that Z1 is given by Eq. (3).

3.4. STRESS INTENSITY FACTOR FOR PROBLEM OF FIGURE 1b

The stress intensity factor is calculated from the Westergaard function using Eq. (14).
We obtain

2P Ja
= ~a2 -b2 v-;; (18)

which shows that K1 is given by Eq. (4).

4. References

[IJ E.E. Gdoutos (1993) Fracture Mechanics- An Introduction, K.luwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht,
Boston, London.