Unified Solution for J Ranging Continuously from Pure Bending to Pure Tension

This paper addresses the problem of determining J for a ligament subjected to arbitrary tension-bending loading, presenting a solution for J in terms of the load displacement characteristics. Several aspects of the problem are considered. First the Merkle-Corten analysis (MCA) for the compact specimen (CT) is reviewed, emphasizing its basic assumptions. Then the problem is stated in a general way and solved for J by assuming suitable relations between load and displacement. This results in a unified solution ranging continuously from pure bending to pure tension. The result agrees with previous investigators in the limits of pure bending and pure tension and closely approximates the MCA result for small tensile component (0.6 < a/W) in the CT. The two analyses are extensively discussed in the light of the constitutive equation used. The present work is also compared with finite-element results obtained by other investigators for the CT and the single-edge-notch specimen.