Effect of vibration on fatigue crack growth of an edge crack for a rectangular plate

Abstract The coupling analysis of vibration and fatigue crack growth for the rectangular plate with an edge crack is presented. The modified Forman's equation is employed to fatigue crack growth, and the plate equations of von Karman's theory are considered in vibration analysis. The equations of vibration are reduced to an ordinary differential equation by assuming mode shapes and Galerkin's procedure. The amplitude and natural frequency are determined by means of the Runge–Kutta scheme. The modified Forman's equation for crack propagation and the Runge–Kutta procedure for vibrating amplitude are simultaneously employed cycle by cycle. The effect of vibration on fatigue crack growth of the cracked rectangular plate is determined and discussed. The unsteady vibration affects the fatigue life evidently in this analysis.