Abstract
This paper concerns itself with the analysis of the deviations of the stress singularity at the blunted notch tip from the square root singularity which is associated with an ideal crack. The stress distributions and the stress intensity factors for V and U notches were analyzed for several blunting angles and the radii of curvature, using the finite element method. The results showed that the differences of the stress intensity factors between V notch tip and an ideal crack were quite small in the region in which the notch angle is from 0 to 80 deg. (Author)