Summary of Stress-Intensity Factors

The stress-intensity concept is based on the parameter that quantifies the stresses at a crack tip. This article summarizes some stress-intensity factors for various crack geometries commonly found in structural components. Through-the-thickness cracks may be located in the middle of a plate; at the edge of a plate; or at the edge of a hole inside a plate. The article discusses uniform farfield loading in terms of point loading of a center crack and point loading of an edge crack. It tabulates the correction factors for stress intensity at shallow surface cracks under tension. Farfield tensile loading and part-through crack in a finite plate are also discussed. The article concludes with a discussion on through-the-thickness crack and part-through crack in a pressurized cylinder.