In this paper, a new boundary element (BE) approach is proposed to determine the singular stress field in plane V-notch structures. The method is based on an asymptotic expansion of the stresses in a small region around a notch tip and application of the conventional BE in the remaining region of the structure. The evaluation of stress singularities at a notch tip is transformed into an eigenvalue problem of ordinary differential equations that is solved by the interpolating matrix method in order to obtain singularity orders (degrees) and associated eigen-functions of the V-notch. The combination of the eigen-analysis for the small region and the conventional BE analysis for the remaining part of the structure results in both the singular stress field near the notch tip and the notch stress intensity factors (SIFs).

Examples are given for V-notch plates made of isotropic materials. Comparisons and parametric studies on stresses and notch SIFs are carried out for various V-notch plates. The studies show that the new approach is accurate and effective in simulating singular stress fields in V-notch/crack structures.