The stress relaxation of an eccentric (off-center) negative wedge disclination in an isotropic homogeneous cylinder by nucleation of a Zener crack was investigated with a continuum model. The nucleated Zener crack was simulated with distributed edge dislocations. The stress intensity factor at the sharp tip of the Zener crack was computed through solving the singular integral equations formulated. By enforcing the fracture criterion at the sharp tip, the critical disclination power to nucleate a Zener crack was determined. The equilibrium crack lengths of the crack were then

calculated when the disclination power was above the critical value. It was found that there was a special position at which the critical disclination power reaches the minimum value. As the disclination deviates from this position, the critical disclination power increased. Two or four equilibrium crack lengths could be found for the Zener crack, dependent upon the power and off-center position of the disclination. The influence of the off-center distance on the equilibrium crack lengths and the dependence of the critical disclination power and stable equilibrium crack lengths on cylinder radius were also discussed.

Stress Analysis on a Zener Crack Nucleation from an Eccentric Wedge Disclination in a Cylinder. J.Luo, Z.M.Xiao, K.Zhou: International Journal of Engineering Science, 2009, 47[9], 811-20