Abstract
The effect of geometry on hydrostatic and J-integral in semi-circular surface cracks was investigated using finite element technique. The results showed non-uniform constraint levels and crack driving forces around the crack front at large deformation levels, which contrast those at low deformation levels. Both the hydrostatic stress and J-integral were geometry and load dependent, and were non-uniformly distributed around the crack front. The loss of J-dominance at the deepest point in the three dimensional surface configuration was observed at much lower deformation levels than for the 2-D plane strain edge cracked bend bar. Shallow surface cracks exhibited much lower and more uniform constraint levels compared to deep semi-circular surface cracks.