Problem 9: Westergaard Method for a Crack Subjected to

Shear Forces **

E.E. Gdoutos

1. Problem

VerifY that the function z;

11 for an infinite plate with a crack of length 2a subjected to
a pair of shear forces Sat x = b (Figure 1) is

z;n = ___s_~(-a2_-_b_2)"2 (1)

x(z-b) z 2 -a 2

Determine the stress intensity factor.

b~s
0
X
t......_- a ----•-+t••-a ®
....
Figure 1. An infinite plate with a crack oflength 2a subjected to a pair of shear forces S at x = b.

2. Useful Information

See Problem 2.

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

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

3. Solution

From Equation (1) we have for the stress t yz along the crack surfaces (y = 0, z = x * b,
!xl<a)[l]

tyz= Re Z~ 11 = 0 (2)

Furthermore, we have for the stresses tyz and tyz. at infinity (z --+ co)

(3)

At y = 0, x = b, the tyz stress becomes infinite, indicating the existence of a concen-

trated force at that point.

For x --+ b we have

Z~u = S ~a-2 -
-b-2
=
iS (4)
x(z-b) b 2 -a 2 x(z-b)

The magnitude of the concentrated force at x = b is calculated as

T =lim
y-+0
r+tt
-s yz
dx =lim Re
y-+O
I-
b+t
I iS
x x(x-b)+iy
dx
b-e

. b+Is I iS(x-b-iy) d
= l 1m -- x
y-+O x (x-b)2 +y2
b-s

J-..!._ (x-b)2+y2 dx = -~lim I

b+s b+£
= lim SY y dx
y-+O x (x-bi+y2
x
b-s b-s

s -
=-- hm [ tan
-I X- b b+£
- -]
2S . -I 6 - 2S 1t
= --hm 1an ( - ) = - - - =-S (5)
X y-+0 y b-s 1t y-+0 y X 2
 Westergaard Method for a Crack Subjected to Shear Forces 43

Thus, the Westergaard function defined by Equation (1) satisfies the boundary condi-
tions of the problem of an infinite plate with a crack of length 2a subjected to a pair of
shear forces S at x = b.
The mode-III stress intensity factor is calculated as [I]

(6)

We have

S a2 - b2
Km =lim J2x~ - - - - 1 - - -
ICI--+D 1t (~+a- b) ~(~ + 2a)

s..fi; ~a 2 - b2 s /a+b
= x(a-b) 2a = ;;;v-;=t; (7)

4. References

[I] E.E. Gdoutos (1993) Fracture Mechanics -An Introduction, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht,
Boston, London.