Fracture Mechanics of Thin Plates and Shells Under Combined Membrane, Bending, and Twisting Loads

The fracture mechanics of plates and shells under membrane, bending, twisting, and shearing loads are reviewed, starting with the crack tip fields for plane stress, Kirchhoff, and Reissner theories. The energy release rate for each of these theories is calculated and is used to determine the relation between the Kirchhoff and Reissner theories for thin plates. For thicker plates, this relationship is explored using three-dimensional finite...