Abstract
The buckling deformation behavior of centrally of centrally cracked rectangular plates subjected to a uniaxial tension is analyzed by the finite element method, taking both geometrical and material nonlinearities into consideration. The finite element formulation is based on the total Lagrange coordinate system and the flow theory of plasticity. The effects of an initial imperfection on the crack buckling deformation are studied in some detail. The post-buckling behavior is discussed in relation to the undesired effects on the fracture of cracked plates. The results of elastic analyses show that the magnitude of the stress intensity factor increases after buckling. The results of elastic-plastic analyses and experiments show that the residual strength of cracked plates is reduced due to interactions of the buckling deformation and the plastic deformation at the crack tips.
