Implementation and Application of the Virtual Crack Extension Method in theFinite Element Program B2000

摘要

In this paper, the virtual crack extention method is used to obtain thedistribution of the stress intensity factor (for purely mode I loading) along a crack-front. The virtual crack extension method calculates the stress intensity factor from the decrease of the potential energy per unit crack advance. To test the applicability of the method, it is applied to center cracked plate, embedded circular crack, semi-circular surface crack and compact tension specimen. in the calculations, so-called singular elements are used at the crack-front to account for the 1 square root of r singularity in the stresses adjacent to the crack front.