Synthesis and application of weight function for edge cracked semicircular disk (ECSD)

•Semicircular disk under eccentric compression is analyzed using elasticity and FEM.•Limiting eccentric angle is determined in view of crack opening potency.•Mode-I weight function for ECSD is synthesized using Rice’s method.•A new form factor method of deriving weight function for limited range is proposed.•New method is demonstrated to give better accuracy of synthesizing weight function.

We analyze the utility of edge cracked semicircular disk (ECSD) for rapid assessment of fracture toughness using compressive loading. Continuing our earlier work on ECSD, a theoretical examination here leads to a novel way for synthesizing weight functions using two distinct form factors. The efficacy of ECSD mode-I weight function synthesized using displacement and form factor methods is demonstrated by comparing with finite element results. Theory of elasticity in conjunction with finite element method is utilized to analyze crack opening potency of ECSD under eccentric compression to explore newer configurations of ECSD for fracture testing.