Improved stress intensity factors for a single corner crack at a loaded fastener hole

Improved Mode I stress intensity factors for a large plate containing a single corner crack at a filled fastener hole are determined. Loads are applied separately to the fastener and remotely to the plate, with out-of-plane bending unrestrained or restrained. Contact between the steel fastener and aluminium plate is modelled thus the analysis accounts for the hole propping effect. The results are determined using three-dimensional p-version finite element methods, and presented as compact equations at key crack front locations. The results show some significant differences to those in existing literature, which are due to the simplifying assumptions used previously.