Engineering problems that involve fatigue crack growth and fracture frequently can be studied by taking into account only mode-I features. However, many important problems that involve combined mode I and II loadings cannot be properly analyzed by a pure mode-I approach, which in particular may not be sufficient to estimate fracture toughness for practical purposes in such cases. Such mixed-mode problems involve crack orientation and/or load conditions that lead to combined local Stress Intensity Factors (SIFs) K_(I)/K_(II) around the crack front. Using multiaxial crack tip condition characterized by the crack inclination angle β in a mixed-mode K_(I)/K_(II) modified single edge tension SE(T) specimen, such mixed-mode effects on plastic zone shapes, volumes and plastic work U_(PL) are taken into account to evaluate problems that involve fatigue and fracture.
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