A numerical method for evaluation of J-integral in plates made of functionally graded materials with sharp and blunt V-notches

The main purpose of the paper is to propose a numerical method for evaluation of J-integral in plates made of functionally graded materials (FGM) with sharp and blunt V-notches under Mode I loading. The material properties have been assumed to be varied exponentially along the specimen width (notch direction). Using the proposed method, the effect of material gradient on the J-integral for two cases of sharp and blunt V-notches has been studied. The results have shown that in FGMs with sharp V-notches, the J-integral is not proportional to . So, the parameter JL is path dependent. It has been observed that the material gradient has larger effect on the J-integral in sharp V-notch compared with that in blunt V-notch.