PROPOSAL ON APPROXIMATION OF PATH-INDEPENDENT M-INTEGRAL BY MAPPING AND ANALYSES OF KINKED OR CURVED CRACK USING X-FEM

Abstract

This paper presents an approximation method of path-independent M-integral by mapping of strain and stress fields along the integral path near the crack tip and the synthetic evaluation of kinked or curved crack model in two-dimensional linear fracture mechanics. The proposed M-integral method provides a significant improvement in the accuracy of stress intensity factors for static kinked or curved crack, and in the stability and rate of crack growth for the simulation of fatigue crack.