Investigation of the stress intensity factor changing on the hole crack subject to laser shock processing

Laser shock processing (LSP) is a new surface modification technology. The effect of the compressive residual stresses generated due to laser shock processing (LSP) on the stress intensity factor (SIF) of a through-the-thickness radial crack at the edge of the circular hole was investigated. The residual stresses around the hole induced by LSP were measured by using X-ray method. The relationship between the SIF and the residual stress was determined on the basis of the weight function theory in fracture mechanics. Crack propagation characteristics for such cracks subjected to the combination of the applied stress and residual stress were discussed. And the results showed that the compressive residual stress could lead to the decrement of the SIF. Moreover, the number of the laser shocks had an important influence on the SIF.