A WEIGHT FUNCTION TECHNIQUE IN 3-DIMENSIONAL FRACTURE-MECHANICS - STATIC AND DYNAMIC

The weight function technique is used to analyse both static and dynam ic three-dimensional fracture mechanics problems. The weight functions are first determined, in terms of Laplace transforms, by an indirect boundary element method. The stress intensity factor in the time domai n is then obtained by Durbin's inversion method. The dynamic stress in tensity factors are calculated for a central square crack in a square bar and a circular or elliptical crack in a cylinder under different t ypes of loads. An extension of the method for arbitrary dynamic loads is developed via a dynamic Green's function approach.