Crack Growth Behavior in the Integrally Stiffened Plates(ll) - Experimental Evaluation of SIF-

To assess the validity of the previously computed finite element analysis results, the photoelastic experiment was carried out to determine stress intensity factors for crack originating from thin section of integrally stiffened plates having discontinuous thickness interface. The stress intensity factors were deter- mined by using linear slope method of photoelastic data. Results are presented as variable thickness geometry factor. , for various crack lengths and thickness ratios. The experimental values of F/ sub IV/are compared with 3-D finite element analysis results. The correlation between experimental values and analysis results is resonably good.