Problem 13: Mixed-Mode Stress Intensity Factors in

Cylindrical Shells **

E.E. Gdoutos

1. Problem

A cylindrical pressure vessel of radius R and thickness t contains a through crack of

length 2a oriented at an angle P with the circumferential direction (Figure I). When
the vessel is subjected to an internal pressure p, determine the stress field in the vicin-
ity of the crack tip.

I
I
I
....--11~-, , I
I
I
I Ll......
a:4-t
z I "V
0
I Uz
I ./ I
I I
I I
L---l---~
aa
(a) (b)

Figure I. (a) A cylindrical pressure vessel with an inclined though the thickness crack and (b) stresses acting
in a local element containing the crack.

2. Useful Information

Because the crack is oriented at an angle with the circumferential direction the stress
field in the vicinity of the crack tip is of mixed-mode, that is, a combination of open-

E. E. Gdoutos et al. (eds.), Problems of Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2003
58 E.E. Gdoutos

ing-mode (mode-l) and sliding-mode (mode-11). The stress components crx, cry, txy for
opening-mode loading are given by [I]

CJ = -K-I c o s a
- (1-sm-
. a sm-
. Je )
x .J21tr 2 2 2

Gy
KI
= r;;-:- COS -
a (1+SID
. -SID
a . -3a) (1)
.y27tr 2 2 2

t
KI
= - - cos - sm - cos -
a . a 3a
xy .J21tr 2 2 2

where KI is the opening-mode stress intensity factor and r and a are the polar coordi-
nates of the point considered centred at the crack tip.

For sliding-mode we have [1]

. a ( 2+cos-
Kn- sm-
CJ = - - a cos-
3a )
x .J21tr 2 2 2

K11 • a
CJ = - - sm - cos - cos -
a 3a (2)
Y .J21tr 2 2 2

t =-K-11 c o s a- (1-sm
. -as.m3a-)
xy .J21tr 2 2 2

where K11 is the sliding-mode stress intensity factor.

When the cracked plate is subjected to uniform stresses a and kCJ perpendicular and
along the crack axis, respectively, the CJx stress along the crack axis is given by

KI a (1-sm-
CJx =--cos- . a sm-
. 3a ) - (I - k) CJ (3)
.J2u 2 2 2

3. Solution

We consider a local element containing the crack and calculate the stresses acting on
the element. Then we determine the stress field in the vicinity of the crack tip using
Equations (1) to (3).