Response: Discussion of “Mixed Mode ductile fracture using the strain energy density criterion,” by E.E. Gdoutos

thermal conduction, and acoustic wave propagation are included. This

Application of the strain energy density criterion to ductile fracture

The strain energy density criterion due to Sih is used to predict fracture loads of two thin plates subjected to large elastic-plastic deformation. The prediction is achieved with a finite element analysis which is based on Hill's variational principle for incremental deformations capable of solving gross yielding problems involving arbitrary amounts of deformation. The computed results are in excellent agreement with those obtained in Sih's earlier analysis and with an experimental observation.

Ductile crack propagation with the strain-energy density criterion

The strain energy density criterion is used to characterize subcritical crack growth in a thin aluminum alloy sheet undergoing general yielding. A finite element analysis which incorporates both material and geometrical nonlinear behaviors of the cracked sheets is developed to predict fracture loads at varying crack growth increments. The predicted results are in excellent agreement with those measured experimentally, thus confirming the validity of the strain energy density criterion for characterizing ductile crack propagation.