Determination of the stress intensity factor (Ksub(I)) for a ceack-containing model subjected to tensile stress normal to the crack

A theoretic-experimental method is described in this article for determination of the stress intensity factor at the tip of a crack made in a material when a load coplanar to the crack and perpendicular to it is applied. A photoelastic transmision method was used for the experiment. The backing model for the crack was made of a material capable of presenting bi-refrigerance when subjected to a stress condition. Formulae for the maximum shearing stress of the material starting from the stress functions ratified by the experiment have been obtained. (author)