Abstract
It is important to calculate the exact crack opening area in the cracked pipe subjected to axial force and bending moment. Among many solutions for obtaining the crack opening displacement, Paris-Tada's expression, which is derived from energy method, is open used in fracture analysis for piping crack problems because of its simplicity. But Paris-Tada's equation has conservativeness when radius over thickness ratio(R/t) is ten or less, for it is based on the stress intensity factor solution having a compliance function derived from a simple shell theory. In this paper we derived a new expression using a different stress intensity factor solution which is able to consider the variation of compliance through wall thickness in a cracked pipe. Conservativeness of both equations was examined and compared to finite element analysis results. Conservativeness of the new equation is decreased when R/t > 10 and increased slightly when R/t < 10 compared with Paris-Tada's. But Both equations were highly conservative when R/t < 10 compared with finite element analysis results.
