Finite Eement Facture Aalysis of the Main Arm of Tower Cranes with the 3-D Cracks

In this paper the local solutions of displacement fields in front of three-dimensional cracks are introduced and a new singular element of three-dimensional crack problems is constructed, and a new method for calculating stress intensity factors of three-dimensional crack problems is presented. With the present method, the structural strength of with longitudinal closed cracks under axial tensions is analyzed. It is possible for the crack to propagate because there are ring tensile stresses near joints of the main arm in tower cranes under axial press stresses. The stress and the stress intensity factor are calculated at joints on the main arm of tower cranes. Influences of welding residual stress on stress intensity factors and stresses are discussed.