Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani

Work Integrated Learning Programmes Division

First Semester 2022-2023

Comprehensive Examination
(EC-3 Regular)

Course No. : Fracture Mechanics

Course Title : AE ZG614/ DE ZG514
Nature of Exam : Open Book
Weightage : 40% No. of Pages = 03
Duration : 2.5 Hours No. of Questions = 06
Date of Exam :
Note to Students:
1. Assumptions made if any, should be stated clearly at the beginning of your answer.

Q.1 (a) State the condition for J-integral to become path independent. [2 Marks]

Q.1 (b) State the difference between the J-integral and Energy release rate (G)
[2 Marks]

Q.1 (c) Explain why size of the plastic zone ahead of the crack tip is relatively large
under plane stress conditions when compared with plane strain conditions
[2Marks]

Q.1 (d) Obtain the crack initiation angle (α) in case of infinite sized body with centre
crack (size 2a) subjected to the mode II (shear) loading as shown in the figure.
Use strain energy density criterion and take Poisson’s ratio values as ν=0.5
[2 Marks]
Q1 (e) The stress intensity factor (K) for an edge crack of length ‘a’ in a plate subjected
to a pair of equal and opposite concentrated forces (P) at a distance ‘b’ from the plate
edge is given by

Using this result, compute the stress intensity factor for this crack subjected to a linear
tensile stress distribution acting on the crack faces. [4]

Q.2 A critical component of an offshore structure is subjected to a fluctuating load as

shown in a histogram. During a routine check-up, an edge crack of length 1.5 mm is
detected. If the crack length is not allowed to exceed 20 mm, determine the remaining life
of the component. The material constants for Paris law are given as C = 6.0 x 10-12
(MPa)-3.2m-0.6 and m = 2.0 [6 Marks]

Q.3 Consider a cylindrical vessel with closed ends is made of steel with yield stress 350
MPa and modulus 200 GPa. The diameter of the pressure vessel is 1.6 m and the wall-
thickness is 18 mm. The critical crack tip opening displacement (CTODc) is known to be
0.08 mm. Determine the maximum pressure the vessel can withstand if a through-the-
thickness crack of length 2a = 20 mm is detected, perpendicular to the axis of the
cylinder. (Ignore geometric effects while considering the stress intensity factor
expressions etc. [5 Marks]
Q.4 Determine the J-Integral for a double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen where only
one of the ends of the DCB is subjected to the load at the end. Write boundary conditions
associated with each segment of the path considered for J integral computation.
[5 Marks]

Q.5 A specimen with a sharp crack (size 2a) subjected to the mode II loading is shown in
the figure below. Using stress fields ahead of the crack tip, obtain the maximum and
minimum size of the plastic zone along the x-axis. Use Von mises yield criteria and
consider plane stress conditions. [8 Marks]

Q.6 A crack of 3 mm length is emanated from the surface of a 50 mm diameter hole in a

large plate. Compute the maximum stress that would not allow the crack to grow
if KIC = 55 MPa m1/2, σys = 300 MPa, E = 207 GPa. (Hint: Inglis solution for the plate
with elliptical crack, with 2a and 2b as sizes of the major and minor axis of the ellipse.
Consider stress is applied normal to major axis such that )
[ 4 Marks]