Coupled fracture modes of a cracked discs under anti-plane loading

The existence of three-dimensional effects at cracks has been known for many years, but understanding has been limited, and for some situations still is. Understanding improved when the existence of corner point singularities and their implications became known. Despite increased understanding, three-dimensional effects are sometimes ignored in situations where they may be important. The purpose of the present investigation is to study by means of accurate 3D finite element (FE) models a coupled fracture mode generated by anti-plane loading of a straight through-the-thickness crack in linear elastic discs. The results obtained from the highly accurate finite element analyses have improved understanding of the behaviour of through cracked discs under anti-plane loading. The influence of plate bending is increasingly important as disc thickness decreases. It appears that a new field parameter, probably a singularity, is needed to describe the stresses at the disc surfaces. Calculation of the strain energy density (SED) in a control volume at the crack tip shows that the position of the maximum SED is a function of disc thickness.