Crack paths in plane situations. II: Detailed form of the expansion of the stress intensity factors (Q1198269)

In a previous paper [part I, \textit{J. B. Leblond}, Int. J. Solids Struct. 25, No. 11, 1311-1325 (1989; Zbl 0703.73062)] we established the general form of the expansion of the stress intensity factors in powers of the crack extension length, for a crack propagating in a two-dimensional body along an arbitrary kinked and curved path. The aim of the present paper is to calculate precisely the various functions of the geometric and mechanical parameters which appear in this expansion. The functions involved in the case of a straight extension are identified by considering the special case of a crack composed of two straight branches, placed in an infinite body loaded by uniform forces at infinity; the problem is solved with the aid of Muskhelishvili's formalism and conformal mapping.