Crack Paths 2009

selected elementary branch is shown in Fig. 4 along with the link between the angles ϕ

and α.

Figure 4. Scheme of a branched element at the semi-elliptical crack front.

7

6

012345

K eff - branch I-branch ef ellipse II - branch

0

20

40

60

80

ϕ [deg]

Figure 5. The solution of the branched crack problem for the semi-elliptical crack front

with b/a = 0.7.

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