An analysis of the conditions for rupture due to griffith cracks

Abstract

The solutions for the problem of an infinite isotropic elastic solid stressed under tension T0 and containing a single internal crack of length c on the plane z=0 are given in a form suitable for the computation of the stresses and displacements at all points. These are used to find the stress distribution on, and the displacements of, the plane situated ½a from the plane containing the crack. The normal stress σz on z=½a (as found above) is plotted as a function f(2uz) of the normal displacement uz and τrz is small compared with σz.