Stress intensity factor for a crack emanating from the root of a semi-circular edge notch in a tension plate

The stress intensity factor (SIF) for a crack radially emanating from the root of a semi-circular edge cut-out is determined theoretically. Firstly, the advantage of using finite Mellin type transform is demonstrated mainly to resolve the boundary conditions for a plate with an edge notch. Secondly, this method has been used to calculate the SIF of a crack in a semi-infinite tension plate, which involves the solution of a Weiner-Hopf integral equation. Finally these analytical results are verified through transmission photoelasticity experiments on model specimens. It is concluded that the SIF increases less rapidly compared to Bowie's problem 1] and there is no appreciable effect of the cut-out on the stress field close to the tip region when the crack size is about seven times the edge-notch radius (Fig. 1).