Force Stream Function Method Applied to Classical Griffith’s Crack Problem

In a previous paper (Wu, X., and Genin, J., 2003, J. Strain Anal. Eng. Des., 38(2), pp. 181–185), we presented a new stress analysis procedure, the force stream function method. It established a general relationship between a fluid stream function and a force stream function through pure elasticity examples. Here, we expand its applications to the field of linear fracture. A brief review of the new method is provided at the paper’s beginning. When applied to the classical Griffith’s crack problem, the corresponding fluid stream function of a flow past a normal plate is conveniently used as an analog for the crack problem. Numerical results are employed to verify the general relation in this particular case. The significance of the new force stream function method and some difficulties of its applications are discussed in the paper’s conclusion.