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Abstract
A very simple analysis is used to derive the condition for complete fracture from a wedge crack contained within an infinite solid subject to an externally-applied tensile stress σ. A cohesive zone is assumed to exist at the crack tip the tensile stress p in this zone being related to the relative displacement v in an arbitrary manner. The complete fracture criterion is σh>2γ where 2γ is the integral of p(v)dv between the limits 0 and v c h being the wedge thickness and v c the critical crack tip displacement at which crack extension occurs. This criterion is valid for all values of v c< h a surprising result when compared with that for a Griffith-type crack where the critical fracture stress correlates with the same integral only when v c is vanishingly small.