Influence of T-stress on crack propagation for I-II mixed mode loading

Maximum tensile stress (MTS) criterion is adopted to predict brittle fracture under I-II mixed mode conditions, wherein the effect of the non-singular term of stress, often known as the T-stress on the angle of initiation and the onset of crack growth are explored. With an inclined crack in plates under biaxial loading, I-II mixed mode fracture with pure I mode and pure II mode included is achieved by various combinations of vertical and horizontal loads, as well as different angles of the internal crack to the vertical load. The predicted direction for fracture initiation and I-II mixed mode stress intensity factors are compared with some earlier experiment results. Consequently, a general condition for predicting I-II mixed mode fracture under various T-stresses is provided to predict the brittle fracture when the stress intensity factors for I mode and II mode as well as the T-stress at the crack tip are known for a given specimen geometry. The analysis confirms that the presence of T-stress has a significant effect on mode I-II fracture in brittle fracture for linear elastic materials, especially for mode II fracture.