Dual boundary element analysis of cracked plates: post-processing implementation of the singularity subtraction technique

This paper is concerned with the post-processing formulation of the singularity subtraction technique in the dual boundary element method (DBEM) analysis of the mixed-mode deformation of general homogeneous cracked plates. For each deformation mode, the first term of the series of Williams eigenexpansion is used as a singular particular solution, valid in the neighborhood of each crack tip. At an internal point approaching each crack tip, the stress field is regularized locally with the singular term of the Williams series, thus leading to the computation of the stress intensity factors. The results obtained with this technique, implemented in a post-processing mode, are in excellent agreement with those obtained with the J-integral technique and other published results.