Analysis of an inclined crack centrally placed in an orthotropic rectangular plate

The problem of an inclined crack centrally placed in a generally orthotropic rectangular plate under tension is investigated. The modified mapping-collocation technique introduced by Bowie and other workers is used in the analysis and the stress-intensity factors are computed for several orientations of cracks and for rectangles of various proportions. The effects of orientation of the principal axes of orthotropy are also considered. The results indicate a fairly strong dependence of the stress field on the orientation of these principal axes of the material and the occasional complexity of the interaction of material anisotropy and the geometry of the specimen.