The Mechanics of a Cantilever Beam with an Embedded Horizontal Crack Subjected to an End Transverse Force, Part B: Results and Discussion

This is the second part of a two-part study aimed at establishing the mechanics of a cracked cantilever beam subjected to a transverse force applied at its free end. Following the development of a four-beam model in Part A, in this Part B of a two Part series of papers, a two dimensional (2D) Finite Element (FE) model is developed and use to obtain independent numerical estimates of the cross sectional resultants dominating the beams above and below the fully embedded horizontal crack in a cantilever beam subjected to an end transverse force. The FE model is also used to obtain numerical estimates of the required deformation of the cantilever free as needed to establish the effective of the transition regions adjacent to the crack tips. The FE model results are then compared to the four-beam model predictions. The four-beam model predictions are found to be in excellent agreement with their FE counterparts. Related discussion is presented wherein the relevance of the model developed in Part A to damage and crack detection as well as to fundamental fracture mechanics studies on homogeneous and heterogeneous layer systems containing delamination cracks is addressed.