Abstract
The statistical prediction of crack growth direction under mixed-mode conditions is studied. By assuming that the probability of finding flaws within the material is uniform, and that the growth risk is related to the plastic strain around the crack tip, using the results of finite element analysis(provided by ANSYS), we determine the most probable direction of crack growth. When the growth risk is proportional to plastic strain (i.e.m=1), it is found that the crack growth direction is at about 15 degree from the crack line with stress intensity factor of mode 1 and mode 2 is 1:1. When stress intensity factor of mode 2 is much larger than mode 1, it occurs at about 5 degree. It is concluded that the crack tend to propagate along the crack line when mode 2 loading is increasingly dominant. On the other hand, when stress intensity factor of mode 1 is much larger than mode 2, for higher value of m(m > 1 ), the crack growth direction is about -20 degree.