3D FINITE-ELEMENT COMPUTATION OF STRAIN-ENERGY RELEASE RATE USING DIFFERENT DISPLACEMENT AND STRESS-FIELDS

An efficient technique for calculating the strain energy release rate from a three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis with square-root stress singularity is presented. The technique is based on the Irwins 's crack closure integral method. The variation of the stresses ahead of the crack front is assumed to be one order less (in the crack direc tion) than that of the displacements along the crack faces. Mode I, an d mode II and mode III strain energy release rates can be evaluated se parately. Examples are presented to illustrate the efficiency of this proposed approach.