The Effect of Local Yielding on the Strain-Energy Release Rate

Abstract

In a recent paper in the Journal of Basic Engineering [1], Forman presented numerical results for the strain-energy release rate of a crack in a finite width plate using the Dugdale model [2] of a yielded crack to describe the effects of local plastic flow. However, there appear to be several errors in the formulation of the problem by Forman. In addition, it is believed that an analytical rather than numerical approach to this problem would be more useful for applications. In this Note, an analytical form for a correction factor due to yielding is obtained for the elastic strain-energy release rate from an exact expression for the strain-energy release rale of the Dugdale model of a yielded crack in an infinite sheet. The effect of finite sheet width is treated as a separate correction factor.