A non-local stress and strain energy release rate mixed mode fracture initiation and propagation criteria

A non-local stress condition for crack initiation and propagation in brittle materials is presented. This condition is expressed in terms of normal and tangential traction components acting on a physical plane segment (damage zone) of specified length. Next, a non-local strain energy release rate criterion is proposed. This condition is based on the assumption that initiation or propagation of cracking occurs when the maximal value of the function of opening and sliding energy release rates reaches a critical value. The value of energy release rates is determined for finite elementary crack growth. Mixed mode conditions are considered, for which both the critical load value and the crack orientation are predicted from the non-local stress and energy criteria, which are applicable to both regular and singular stress concentrations. The effect of non-singular second order term (T_σ-stress) on the crack propagation is discussed.