Sickle-shaped surface crack in a notched round bar under cyclic tension and bending.

A sickle-shaped surface crack, also called crescent-moon (or crescent) crack, is assumed to exist at the root of a circular-arc circumferential notch in a round bar under tension and bending. For different notch sizes (i.e. different values of the stress concentration factor), the stress intensity factor along the crack front is computed through a three-dimensional finite-element analysis. The effect of the stress concentration factor on the stress intensity factor values is examined for several crack configurations. Finally, the surface crack growth under cyclic loading is analysed through a numerical procedure that employs the stress intensity factor values obtained. Some results of the present study are compared with those by other authors.