Solution of flat crack problems in shear mode

Solution of the flat crack problems in shear mode is presented. The least potential energy principle is used to solve the problems. In the solution a family of the crack opening displacements (COD) with some undermined coefficients is assumed. The strain energy stored in body is expressed in the form of a quadratic form with some undetermined coefficients. In the formulation of the quadratic form, the differential–integral equation for the flat crack problem is used. After using the least potential energy principle, the coefficients in the family of COD can be determined and the crack opening displacements can be evaluated immediately. The stress intensity factors along the crack border can be obtained from the known crack opening displacements. A particular feature of the present method is that no singular integral is involved in computation. Several numerical examples are given with the calculated stress intensity factors along the crack border