Archive of Applied Mechanics 72 (2002) 96106 Springer-Verlag 2002

DOI 10.1007/s00419-002-0203-3

Mixed-mode stress intensity factors and critical angles

of cracks in bolted joints by weight function method
S. P. Heo, W. H. Yang

96
Summary Mechanical joints, such as bolted or riveted joints, are widely used in structural
components. Reliable determination of stress intensity factors for cracks in bolted joints is
required to evaluate their safety and fatigue life. The weight function method is an efficient
technique to calculate stress intensity factors for various loading conditions by the stress
analysis of an uncracked model. In this paper, the mixed-mode stress intensity factors for
cracks in bolted joints are analyzed by the weight function method, and coefficients included in
the weight function are determined by finite element analysis for reference loadings. The
critical angle at which mode I stress intensity factor becomes maximum is determined, and the
effects of the amount of clearance and crack length on the critical angle are investigated.
Keywords Stress Intensity Factor, Weight Function Method, Finite Element Method,
Bolted Joint, Clearance

1
Introduction
Mechanical joints (bolted or riveted) are widely used in structural components including
aircraft. There is a high possibility of crack initiation from bolted joints because stress concentration and contact pressure are developed there. Reliable determination of stress intensity
factors (SIFs) for cracks in bolted joints is required to evaluate their safety and fatigue life.
Finite elements (FE) analysis is usually used in the calculation of the SIFs for arbitrary crack
configurations, but it is very time-consuming in modeling and analysis for various leading
conditions.The weight function method (WFM) is an efficient technique to calculate the SIF by
using the appropriate weight function for the geometry of a cracked body and the stress of a
corresponding uncracked body. The stress analysis of the uncracked model is required and,
thus, the SIFs can be simply obtained for a variety of loading conditions.
Much research has been made to develop and apply the WFM for various crack configurations. Paper [1] proposed a weight function which, generally, could be applied to the
two-dimensional mode I crack problems. In [2] the SIF was determined by WFM for various
two-dimensional cracks. An analysis of the SIF and crack opening displacements of edge cracks
with clamped ends by the WFM was given in [3]. Paper [4] proposed an approximate weight
function for a finite-width strip with a center crack and obtained the SIFs for various loading
conditions. In studies [14], mode I problems were mainly dealt with, while a study on a
mixed-mode problem was given in [5, 6], where a weight function applicable to mixed-mode
problems, was proposed and mode I and mode II SIFs for edge crack and sub-interface crack
were analyzed.

Received 28 February 2001; accepted for publication 22 June 2001

S. P. Heo (&), W. H. Yang
School of mechanical Engineering,
Sungkyunkwan University 300,
Chunchun-dong, Jangan-gu,
Suwon, Kyunggi-do, 440-746, Korea
e-mail: spheo@orgio.net
The authors are grateful for the support provided by a grant
from the Korea Science & Engineering Foundation (KOSEF)
and Safety and Structural Integrity Research Center at the
Sungkyunkwan University.

Strength or failure analysis [7, 8] has been made for isotropic plates and composite laminates with bolted joints. Fracture mechanics analysis of cracks in bolted joints is limited in the
literature because both the contact area and the crack need to be included in the analysed
model. Paper [9] assumed the contact pressure of joints as a uniform or cosine distribution
and analyzed the SIFs, for symmetric cracks. In [10], the SIF was evaluated for horizontal or
vertical cracks emanating from a bolt-loaded hole. The influence of an interference or clearance on the SIF, was investigated in [11]. Paper [12] examined mixed-mode SIFs for cracks in
bolted joints by FE analysis and demonstrated the existence of a critical angle causing mode I
SIF to be maximized, by comparing the results of horizontal and a few inclined cracks.
In this paper, the mixed-mode SIFs for cracks in bolted joints are analyzed by the WFM, and
the critical angle is determined by considering the variation of the SIF with the incline angle.
The effects of the frictional coefficient, the amount of clearance and the crack length on the
critical angle are investigated.

2
Application of the weight function method
2.1
Background
The WFM, proposed by Bueckner [13] and Rice [14], is a useful technique to determine the
SIF using the uncracked bodys stress. For a cracked body subjected to a remote loading T,
Fig. 1, the SIF is calculated by integrating the product of the stresses in the uncracked
component rx in the prospective crack plane and the weight function hx; a for the crack
configuration as
K

Za
hx; arxdx :

The weight function hx; a in Eq. (1) depends on the geometry of the crack or the cracked
body, but is independent of the applied loading. Once the weight function for the specific
geometry has been determined, the SIF can be obtained from the integration of Eq. (1) for an
arbitrary loading condition.

2.2
Mixed-mode SIF by the WFM
In the mixed-mode fracture problem for an unsymmetric configuration as shown in Fig. 2, both
mode I and mode II SIFs appear even under normal stress r applied on the crack plane. By the
WFM, each SIF is expressed as, [5, 6],
r
KI

Za

hI x; arxdx ;

Fig. 1. Weight function method for a two-dimensional

crack

97

Fig. 2. Cracks in unsymmetric bodies

98

r
KII

Za

hII x; arxdx :

Under shear stress s on the crack plane, mode I and mode II SIFs can also be written as
s
KI

Za

hI x; asxdx ;

s
KII

Za

hII x; asxdx :

If a cracked body is subjected to a general loading, both normal and shear stresses appear. The
mode I and mode II SIFs can be expressed by superimposing the preceding two cases, [5, 6]

Za n
o
r
s
KI
hI x; arx hI x; asx dx ;

Za n
o
r
s
hII x; arx hII x; asx dx :
KII

In Eqs. (6), (7), rx and sx represent the normal and shear stresses on the prospective crack
plane, and are obtained by the stress analysis of the uncracked model. Four weight functions in
Eqs. (6), (7) are theoretically set up as infinite series
r
hI

r 1
2 X r 
xn1=2

DI;n 1 
;
pa n0
a

r
hII

r 1
2 X r 
xn1=2

DII;n 1 
;
pa n0
a

DII;0 0 ;

s
hI

r 1
2 X s 
xn1=2

DI;n 1 
;
pa n0
a

DI;0 0 ;

s
hII

r 1
2 X s 
xn1=2

DII;n 1 
:
pa n0
a

10

11

The infinite series in Eqs. (8)(11) can be simplified for general two-dimensional mixed-mode
problems based on the study [5, 6]
r
hI

)
r(
r

2
1
x
x3=2
r
r
p DI;1 1  DI;2 1 
;

pa
a
a
1  x=a

12

r
hII

hI

hII

r
r


2
x
x3=2
r
r
1  DII;2 1 
D
;

pa II;1
a
a
r
r


2
x
x3=2
s
s
D
;
1  DI;2 1 

pa I;1
a
a
)
r(
r

2
1
x
x3=2
s
s
p DII;1 1  DII;2 1 

:
pa
a
a
1  x=a

13

14

15

If the eight unknown coefficients included in Eqs. (12)(15) have been determined, mode I and
mode II SIFs can be calculated from Eqs. (6), (7). These unknown coefficients can be determined using free-corner condition or the SIF for reference loading [15].

3
Mixed-mode stress intensity factor analysis
3.1
Finite element analysis of cracks in bolted joints
The plate in Fig. 3 is analyzed that has a crack in a radial direction of the bolted joint and is
subjected to a remote uniform tension. The diameter of the hole is 12.5 mm and the clearance
between the hole and the bolt is made by changing the diameter of the bolt. In Fig. 3, a
represents the crack length, a is the inclination angle of the crack, and r is the radius of the
hole. The material in this analysis is aluminum with the Youngs modulus, E 68.95 GPa and the
Poissons ratio m 0:25. The bolt is assumed to be rigid, and the FE analysis was made by using
ABAQUS, version 5.8.
In order to verify the present FE analysis, the contact pressure distribution of the uncracked
model was obtained by using the FE mesh shown in Fig. 4a. The SIFs were analyzed for a
horizontal symmetric crack model and compared with the results in [12]. Figure 4b shows the
FE mesh for a single-crack model, the subject of this study. In the joint, a fine mesh was used to
satisfy the contact condition between the hole and the bolt. The bolt was modeled using rigid
element, and quarter-point elements were used to represent the stress singularity around the
crack tip.
Figure 5 shows the contact pressure distribution in the case of no clearance. In this figure,
b means the angle measured in the counterclockwise direction from the bottom. The contact
pressure distribution obtained from the present FE analysis is similar to the theoretical
cosine distribution also plotted in Fig. 5. The difference between the two results is thought to
be due to the occurrence of deformation in the joint. The result agrees also with the results
in [16].
The normalized SIFs for double-symmetric cracks are shown in Fig. 6. It can be observed
that the present results agree well with the FE analysis results [12], and the present FE analysis
including the crack and the contact area can be verified.

Fig. 3. Configuration of a crack in a bolted joint

99

100

Fig. 4a, b. Finite element mesh for plates having bolted joints
a uncracked model, b horizontal crack model

Fig. 5. Contact pressure distribution

along the hole boundary in the case
of no clearance

3.2
Application of the weight function method to cracks in bolted joints
A crack in a bolted joint usually has mixed-mode SIFs for various loading conditions or
inclination angles of the crack. Mode I and mode II SIFs can be calculated from Eqs. (6), (7)
r
using appropriate weight function. In order to determine hI of Eq. (12), two unknown coefficients have to be obtained. To do this, the following two reference loads are used: a uniform
stress on the crack plane, rx r0 , and a linearly distributed stress, rx r0 1  x=a.
The WFM is applied to these loads
Za

p r
r
hI x; ar0 dx r0 paFI;1 ;

16


p r
x
r
dx r0 paFI;2 :
hI x; ar0 1 
a

17

Za
0

In Eqs. (16), (17) FI;1 and FI;2 are the normalized SIFs for the two reference loads, and they can
be obtained from the FE analysis. Figure 4b shows the FE mesh that was used to obtain the SIFs
for the reference loads and to verify the application of the WFM. By substituting these values
into Eqs. (16), (17) and solving them simultaneously, two unknown coefficients in Eq. (12) can
be determined as

101
Fig. 6. Stress intensity factors for
doublesymmetric cracks in bolted
joints


15p  r
r
r
DI;1 p 5FI;1  7FI;2  10 ;
8 2

35p  r
35
r
r
DI;2 p 5FI;2  7FI;1
;
3
8 2

18
19

Table 1 presents the eight normalized SIFs for reference loads (reference SIFs) obtained from
the FE analysis in order to determine the eight unknown coefficients included in the four
r
r
s
s
weight functions of Eqs. (12)(15). It is shown in this table that FII;1 , FII;2 , FI;1 and FI;2 , which
represent the coupling effect between mode I and mode II, are near zero. If a mixed-mode
problem is treated for cracks in the vicinity of an interface of dissimilar materials, [6], these
r
s
values have to be considered; but for cracks in bolted joints, the quantities hII and hI
including these values in their coefficients may be neglected in the calculation of the SIF. In the
mixed-mode SIF analysis for cracks in bolted joints, it is reasonable to apply the WFM in the
form neglecting the coupling effect

KI

Za

20

21

hI x; arxdx ;

KII

Za

hII x; asxdx :

Table
p 2 shows the mode I and mode II SIFs obtained from the WFM and FEM, normalized by
r pa for the cracked model shown in Fig. 4b; it presents the results in the case of no
Table 1. Normalized SIFs for reference loads
2a r=W

0.33

0.41

0.49

0.57

0.65

r
FI;1
r
FI;2
r
FII;1
r
FII;2
s
FI;1
s
FI;2
s
FII;1
s
FII;2

0.9981
0.3386

0.9611
0.3151

0.9562
0.3108

0.9733
0.3190

1.0148
0.3403

3.85E-5

7.71E-5

1.86E-4

2.79E-4

3.69E-4

5.78E-5

4.82E-5

1.35E-4

1.88E-4

2.40E-4

3.85E-5

9.64E-5

1.29E-4

1.93E-4

1.54E-4

1.90E-5

2.89E-5

6.42E-5

4.82E-5

7.71E-5

1.0907

1.0705

1.0696

1.0875

1.1276

0.4071

0.3946

0.3932

0.4026

0.4243

clearance and the case of clearance being 1% of the hole diameter. Since, in the case of
no clearance, the mode II SIF was near zero, only the results for the case of nonvanishing
clearance are presented. Coefficients included in the weight functions were determined from
the FE analysis for reference loads, and the normal and shear stresses obtained from the
stress analysis of the uncracked model were fitted as a polynomial curve of x. Mode I and
mode II SIFs were determined by substituting these values into Eqs. (20), (21). These results
indicate that both mode I and mode II SIFs obtained from the two methods agree well in all
cases of a clearance and a crack length; it verifies thus the application of the WFM to cracks
in bolted joints.
102

3.3
Effect of the amount of clearance on the stress intensity factor
Mode I and mode II SIFs for horizontal cracks in bolted joints have been analyzed by the
WFM and the results are plotted in Fig. 7. The SIFs have been determined in the case of no
clearance and for clearances being 1%, 5% and 10% of the hole diameter in order to investigate
the effect of the amount of clearance. The results reveal that mode I SIF in the case of 1%
clearance is much larger than that for no clearance; however, the amount of clearance has
further little effect on the SIF. This indicates that SIFs for cracks in bolted joints may be
underestimated when a case with clearance is treated as an idealized model without clearance.
It can also be shown that in the case of no clearance, mode II SIFs are near zero and, thus, the
crack may be considered as in pure mode I; however, in the cases of clearance existing, even
horizontal crack normal to the applied load is under mixed mode.
4
Determination of critical angle
4.1
Application of weight function method to inclined crack
In order to apply the WFM to inclined cracks in bolted joints, each reference SIF for
various cracks with a different incline angle has to be determined, which is very timeconsuming, especially in the FE modeling. Table 3 presents four reference SIFs obtained
from the FE analysis, which are included in the coefficients of the weight function; comparisons are also made between a horizontal and two inclined cracks. If the analysis was
performed for a remote loading, there might have been a difference between the results for
the horizontal and the inclined cracks. The reference loads considered in this study were,
however, uniform and linearly distributed stresses applied on the crack plane. Cracks are
aligned in the radial direction of the hole and, thus, the results from the horizontal and the
inclined cracks agree well, as shown in Table 3. The difference between the horizontal and
the inclined crack may occur also in the case that the crack length or the incline angle
of the crack is very large. It can be stated that within the range of the analysis in this study,
the reference SIFs for inclined cracks are similar to those for horizontal cracks. Therefore,
in the application of the WFM, to inclined crack, it is efficient to use the weight function
including the same coefficients as those in a horizontal crack, without performing any
additional analysis for reference loads in the case of an inclined crack. It is, naturally,
required to transform the uncracked stress data into normal and the shear stresses on
the inclined crack plane, by rotating the stress element based on elementary solid
mechanics.
Table 2. Normalized SIFs for cracks in bolted joints by WFM and FEM
2a r=W

Mode I

Mode II

clearance = 0

0.33
0.41
0.49
0.57
0.65

clearance = 1%

clearance = 1%

WFM

FEM

WFM

FEM

WFM

FEM

2.793
2.132
1.740
1.510
1.434

2.883
2.073
1.699
1.509
1.426

3.242
2.318
1.857
1.618
1.503

3.244
2.307
1.849
1.609
1.492

0.3348
0.3677
0.3366
0.3028
0.2727

0.3269
0.3571
0.3285
0.2950
0.2675

103

Fig. 7a, b. Effect of the amount of

clearance on SIF for horizontal cracks
in bolted joints a mode I, b mode II

Table 3. Reference SIFs for horizontal and inclined crack

2a=p

Horizontal

Inclined

0.3

0.5

FI;1

0.9562

0.9679

0.9777

r
FI;2

0.3108

0.3180

0.3236

s
FII;1
s
FII;2

1.0696

1.0611

1.0527

0.3932

0.3884

0.3856

4.2
Critical angle of cracks in bolted joints
Figure 8 shows the mode I and mode II SIFs against an incline angle of crack obtained
from the WFM in the case of clearance being 5% of the hole diameter. As discussed
previously, in the case of a horizontal crack a 0, there exist the mode II SIF as well as
the mode I. As the incline angle increases, the mode I SIF increases and, afterwards,
decreases, while the mode II SIF first decreases to zero and, afterwards, increases with
changing sign. These results indicate that at a specific incline angle, the mode II SIF is zero
and the mode I SIF becomes maximum. Thus, there is a critical incline angle for the most
dangerous situation which corresponds to pure mode I. Although the critical angle for the

104

Fig. 8. Stress intensity factors against

the incline angle of the crack

Fig. 9. Effect of the frictional coefficient on the mode I SIF and the critical
angle for cracks in bolted joints

mode I SIF to become maximum does not accurately agree with the angle for the mode II
SIF to be zero, it is believed that the disagreement is due to numerical errors of the FE
analysis and the application of the WFM. This critical angle can be found within a small
range of error.
Figure 9 shows the mode I SIF against the incline angle of the crack on the variation of
frictional coefficients in the contact area of the hole and the rigid bolt. It can be seen that
frictional coefficient has little effect on the SIF as well as the critical angle.
Figure 10 shows the mode I SIF against the incline angle of the crack on the variation of the
normalized crack length in the case of the clearance being 1% and 5% of the hole diameter. It
can be seen that as crack length increases, the critical angle causing mode I to become maximum decreases and approaches to zero.
Figure 11 shows the mode I SIF against the incline angle of the crack on the variation of
the amount of clearance in the case of the normalized crack length being 0.33 and 0.49. As
discussed previously, in the case of a horizontal crack a 0, the existence of clearance
makes the mode I SIF larger but the amount of clearance rarely influences it. In the case of an
inclined crack, as the amount of clearance increases the mode I SIF also increases; the extent
of the increase depends on the crack length and the incline angle. It is evident from this
figure that in the case of no clearance, the critical angle is always zero and, in other words,
mode I SIF for the crack normal to the applied load is maximum. It can also be shown that as
the amount of clearance increases, the critical angle increases from zero and converges to a
specific value.

105

Fig. 10a, b. Effect of the crack length

on the mode I SIF and the critical
angle for cracks in bolted joints
a clearance = 1% of the hole diameter,
b clearance = 5% of the hole diameter

5
Conclusion
(1) The mixed-mode SIFs for horizontal and inclined cracks in bolted joints have been
analyzed by the WFM.
(2) A crack in a bolted joint usually has both mode I and mode II SIFs; in the case of clearance,
even a crack normal to the applied load is under mixed mode.
(3) Mode I SIF for a horizontal crack in the case of clearance is larger than at no clearance;
the amount of clearance has little effect on the SIF.
(4) Mode I and Mode II SIFs vary with the incline angle of the crack; there exists a critical angle
under the most dangerous situation, corresponding to a pure mode I.
(5) Frictional coefficient has little effect on the SIF as well as on the critical angle.
(6) As crack length increases, the critical angle decreases and approaches zero.
(7) As the amount of clearance increases, critical angle increases and converges to a specific
value.
References
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(1991) 11351146
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4. Wang, Q.Z.: Some simple mode-I SIF expressions of finite-width strip with a center crack derived by
using an approximate weight function. Eng Fracture Mech 60 (1998) 3745

106

Fig. 11a, b. Effect of the amount of

clearance on the mode I SIF and the
critical angle for cracks in bolted
joints a a r=W 0:33,
b 2a r=W 0:49

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