A UNIFIED APPROACH TO THE EVALUATION OF LINEAR ELASTIC STRESS-FIELDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF CRACKS AND NOTCHES

The problem of evaluating linear elastic stress fields in the neighbor hood of cracks and notches is considered. An analytical solution valid for cracked and notched components is given in general terms, accordi ng to Muskhelishvili's method based on complex stress functions. The s olution is particularly useful for V-shape notches in wide and finite plates under uniform tensile loading. It will be demonstrated that som e remarkable solutions of fracture mechanics and notch analysis alread y reported in the literature can be considered special cases of this g eneral solution, as soon as appropriate values of the free parameters are adopted.