THE FRACTURE BEHAVIOUR OF A CENTRE CRACKED TENSILE SPECIMEN

— This paper reviews the stress intensity factor, limit load, compliance and J-integral functions for a centre cracked tensile (CCT) specimen available in the literature. Compliance and J-integral functions are derived from the optimum stress intensity factor and limit load solutions. The functions are compared with the results obtained from two-dimensional finite element analyses of the specimen. The finite element results have confirmed the accuracy of the compliance and limit load functions available in the literature and suggest that the unloading compliance technique, based on crack mouth opening displacement, could be developed for a CCT specimen. Non-linear finite element analyses have shown that J can be estimated from the measured load versus load-point displacement behaviour providing a/W≥ 0.5