Mode I stress intensity factors and weight functions for short plates under different boundary conditions

Stress intensity factors and weight functions are available in literature predominantly for cracked components under stress boundary conditions. In order to provide weight function solutions including displacement boundary conditions, rectangular plates with different length-to-width ratios are studied using the boundary collocation method. The results ape reported in the form of figures and tables. The influence of Poissons ratio is discussed in detail. It can be concluded from the numerical data and theoretical considerations that the mode I stress intensity factors and weight functions are independent of Poisson's ratio v for mixed boundary conditions at the plate ends, but depend on v in case of pure displacement conditions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.