A PRACTICAL PROCEDURE FOR EVALUATING SIFS ALONG FRONTS OF SEMIELLIPTIC SURFACE CRACKS AT WELD TOES IN COMPLEX STRESS-FIELDS

Distributions of stress intensity factors (SIF) along crack fronts for 27 geometries of semi-elliptical surface cracks at weld toes subjecte d to eight types of selected elementary stress mode were analysed by a 3-D finite element method. SIF distributions for general geometries i n complex stress fields can be calculated through interpolations and l inear combinations of these elementary solutions. The surface effect o f the thickness ratio of fillet-welded plates on SIF distributions can be taken into account. The procedure is very simple and fast.