Evaluation of T-stress for cracks in elastic sheets

The T-stress of cracks in elastic sheets is solved by using the fractal finite element method (FFEM). The FFEM, which had been developed to determine the stress intensity factors of cracks, is re-applied to evaluate the T-stress which is one of the important fracture parameters. The FFEM combines an exterior finite element model with a localized inner model near the crack tip. The mesh geometry of the latter is self-similar in radial layers around the tip. The higher order Williams series is used to condense the large numbers of nodal displacements at the inner model near the crack tip to a small set of unknown coefficients. Numerical examples revealed that the present approach is simple and accurate for calculating the T-stresses and the stress intensity factors. Some errors of the T-stress solutions shown in the previous literature are identified and the new solutions for the T-stress calculations are presented.