ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes some advanced topics in Linear elastic fracture mechanics. It presents the theoretical framework to analytically handle plane elasticity problems with cracks. The chapter focuses on the understanding of various methods of solution, such as the complex potentials, Westergaard stress functions, and Airy stress functions. The chapter only aims at facilitating insight into the use of complex potentials and Westergaard stress functions to obtain stress and displacement fields. As a basic example, these methods are applied to the analysis of the infinite center-cracked panel. There are various contour integral expressions which are path-independent when the path encloses a crack tip.
