STRAIN-ENERGY RELEASE RATE FOR A SINGLE-EDGE-CRACKED CIRCULAR BAR IN TENSION

The strain-energy release rate is determined for an edge crack in a uniformly stressed bar o f circular cross-section. Values o f the strain-energy release rate, obtained using a finite-element representation o f the bar and by measuring the compliance of the bar experimentally, are shown to be in close agreement. For crack depths of less than one-half diameter. the strain-energy release rates are found to be lower than existing results on rectangular bars having the same relative crack length.