Mma. Wahab et G. Deroeck, 3D FINITE-ELEMENT COMPUTATION OF STRAIN-ENERGY RELEASE RATE USING DIFFERENT DISPLACEMENT AND STRESS-FIELDS, Engineering fracture mechanics, 49(5), 1994, pp. 659-665
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.