Limit loads for centrally cracked square plates under biaxial tension

This paper is concerned with the determination of limit loads for centrally cracked square plates subjected to biaxial tension. It briefly discusses the concept of limit loads and some aspects of numerical modelling. It presents results of numerical calculations conducted for two-dimensional (plane strain state and plane stress state) and three-dimensional cases. It also considers the relationship between the limit load and the crack length, the specimen thickness, the yield strength and the biaxial load factor, defined for the purpose of this work. The paper includes approximation formulae to calculate the limit load.