Two and three parameter representations of crack-tip stress fields

Abstract

An analytical technique is developed to determine, from experimental photoelastic data, parameters additional to the stress intensity factor, K, required to provide an adequate representation of the stress field in an enlarged region around a crack tip. Various methods for the evaluation of these parameters from isochromatic fringe patterns are used to show that a meaningful analysis of experimental data requires the use of a stress field representation involving more than two parameters.