APPROXIMATE WEIGHT FUNCTION METHODS USING A NEW CONDITION

A method is presented to derive the approximate weight functions, by u sing a new condition on the crack mouth, for edge cracks in the semi-i nfinite or finite plate under Mode I loadings. This method requires on ly one information, say, the reference stress intensity factor (SIF), K-r. Numerical examples show that the present method is efficient in e valuation of the SIFs for edge cracks subjected to the polynomial load ings on the crack faces. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.