Stress Trajectories and Crack Propagation in Elastic Plate Under Combined Mechanical and Thermal Loading

This study is focused on the problem of principal stress trajectory field determination in elastic plates subjected to mechanical and thermal loading. It is believed that analysis of the stress trajectories can form a basis for investigation of inverse problems for both temperature and thermal stress fields identification by observation of fracture patterns distribution near locally overheated zones. Thus study assumes that fracturing may appear due to initiation of additional tensile stresses caused by temperature impact. We consider three simple cases in order to illustrate how non-uniform temperature field affects stress trajectories in elastic plane. In addition the problem of crack initiation and propagation near locally heated zones is considered.