Stress ahead of the tip of a finite-width center-crack in fiber-reinforcedcomposite specimen: subjected to nonlinearly distributed bridging stresses

The force balance method (FBM) is a simple and effective way to calculate g eometric correction factors for the stress distribution ahead of the tip of finite-width center crack specimen. In this paper, the accuracy and effect iveness of the FBM is shown by means of a numerical evaluation of the stres s distribution ahead of the tip of finite-width center-cracked specimens su bjected to nonlinearly distributed bridging stresses in fiber-reinforced co mposites. The finite element method is used for this purpose.