Analysis of stress intensity factors for surface cracks in pre/post penetration.

Abstract

It is important to evaluate the penetration of surface cracks in a Leak-Before-Break analysis. Because the stress intensity factors for surface cracks in pre/post penetration had not yet been analyzed, the authors carried out three-dimensional boundary element analyses in order to obtain them. First, the authors developed the technique of nodal breakdown appropriate for cracks with short ligament length in a two-dimensional boundary element analysis. Next, analyses of stress intensity factors for surface cracks in pre/post penetration were carried out using the technique of nodal breakdown for cracks with short ligament length and the three-dimensional boundary element code BEM3D which was designed for a supercomputer.