A mode II weight function for subsurface cracks in a two-dimensional half-space

The general properties of a mode II Weight Function for a subsurface crack in a two‐dimensional half‐space are discussed. A general form for the WF is proposed, and its analytical expression is deduced from the asymptotic properties of the displacements field near the crack tips and from some reference cases obtained by finite elements models. Although the WF has general validity, the main interest is on its application to the study of rolling contact fatigue: its properties are explored for a crack depth range within which the most common failure phenomena in rolling contact are experimentally observed, and for a crack length range within the field of short cracks. The accuracy is estimated by comparison with several results obtained by FEM models, and its validity in the crack depth range explored is shown.