Sanders’ Energy-Release Rate Integral for a Circumferentially Cracked Cylindrical Shell

Analytical and numerical values for Sanders’ path-independent energy-release rate integral I and the combined stress-intensity factor are obtained for a circumferentially through-cracked cylindrical shell. Two types of loadings are considered. First, the shell is subject to axial tension and, second, the shell is subject to edge moments. New procedures for evaluating I from the governing integral equations are presented. In particular, for a very thin shell subject to edge moments, a method of evaluating I by circumventing the solution of the integral equations is shown.