Role of geometry and crack growth on constraint and implications for ductile/brittle fracture

This paper discusses the crack geometry and load effects on near-tip constraint for a non-growing crack. The steady-state crack growth provides a basic results. First, crack growth under well-contained yielding elevates near-tip constraint. Second, the maximum stress elevation due to growth is set by the steady-state high triaxiality stress state. The competing effects of constraints elevation due to crack growth and constraints loss due to increased plastic deformation in a finite size geometry offers insight into the transition to a brittle fracture mode after some amount of ductile tearing.