Review and evaluation of weight functions and stress intensity factors for edge-cracked finite-width plate

Various analytical and numerical weight functions (WFs) for the edge-cracked finite-width plate (ECFWP) configuration have been developed in the literature for efficient fracture mechanics analyses involving complicated/arbitrary load conditions. The objective of this paper is to make a comprehensive review and critical evaluation of the existing WFs determined by using various approaches, e.g. singular integral equation methods; one/two reference load case(s) based analytical approaches; fitting and interpolation to handbook solutions; numerical methods such as the complex Taylor series expansion and finite element analysis. The accuracy levels of existing WFs are assessed in rigorous manner by benchmarking the corresponding Green's functions (GFs) against well-recognized accurate solutions. A highly accurate and wide-ranging analytical ECFWP WF is presented in closed form. Stress intensity factor and crack opening displacement solutions for various load cases of practical interest are easily determined with high accuracy by using the well-verified analytical ECFWP WF for this crack configuration to demonstrate the methods.