Fully-developed plastic stress fields around sharp
wedge-shaped notches of perfectly-plastic pressure-sensitive
materials are investigated for plane-stress case and symmetric
tensile loading conditions. The pressure-sensitive yielding behavior
of the material is represented by the Drucker-Prager yield criterion.
Using equilibrium equations, boundary conditions, and the yield
criterion, closed-form expressions for stress fields are derived. The
analysis covers the gradual change in the notch angle starting from
the limiting case of a pure horizontal crack, the solution of which is
compared with published literature. Effects of notch geometry and
pressure sensitivity on stress fields are examined by considering
different specimen geometries, as well as different levels of pressure
sensitivity. Results indicate that while stress values directly ahead
of the notch-tip are not affected, the extent of stress sector at notch
front is reduced, thereby causing increase in the radial stress value
around the notch. As the pressure sensitivity increases the reduction
of the stress sector directly ahead of the notch tip is more evident.
Also, for high pressure sensitivity values, introduction of the notch
angle reduces the variation of the stress levels. Results obtained
from the analysis are useful for design of structural components.