The Method of Smooth Domains in the Equilibrium Problem for a Plate with a Crack

A free boundary problem is considered of the equilibrium of an elastic plate with a crack. We suppose that some boundary mutual nonpenetration conditions are given on the crack faces in the form of simultaneous equalities and inequalities. We suggest a new approach to posing the problem in a smooth domain although it was stated in a domain with cuts originally. We treat the constraints on the components of the displacement vector and stress tensor on the crack faces as interior constraints, i.e., constraints given on subsets of the smooth domain of a solution.     

On bending an elastic plate with a delaminated thin rigid inclusion

Under study is the problem of bending an elastic plate with a thin rigid inclusion which may delaminate and form a crack. We find a system of boundary conditions valid on the faces of the crack and prove the existence of a solution. The problem of bending a plate with a volume rigid inclusion is also considered. We establish the convergence of solutions of this problem to a solution to the original problem as the size of the volume rigid inclusion tends to zero.     

Application of the method of direct cutting-out to the solution of the problem of longitudinal shear of a wedge with thin heterogeneities of arbitrary orientation

The method of direct cutting-out consists of modeling of a finite body, in particular, with thin heterogeneities, using a much simpler problem for a bounded or a partially bounded body with thin heterogeneities located in the same manner and the presence of additional cracks or absolutely rigid inclusions of fairy large length, which are modeled by the boundary conditions of a bounded body. The method is tested on the problems of antiplane deformation of a symmetrically loaded crack in a wedge with free faces and an absolutely rigid inclusion placed with some tension in a wedge with restrained faces. For an elastic inclusion, we construct generalized conditions of interaction, which enable us to unify the procedure of giving different boundary conditions in the case of using the method of direct cutting-out.     

Problems of a cut in a three-dimensional elastic wedge

The Ritz variational method is applied to problems of a crack (a cut) in the middle half-plane of a three-dimensional elastic wedge. The faces of the elastic wedge are either stress-free (Problem A) or are under conditions of sliding or rigid clamping (Problems B and C respectively). The crack is open and is under a specified normal load. Each of the problems reduces to an operator integrodifferential equation in relation to the jump in normal displacement in the crack area. The method selected makes it possible to calculate the stress intensity factor at a relatively small distance from the edge of the wedge to the cut area. Numerical and asymptotic solutions [Pozharskii DA. An elliptical crack in an elastic three-dimensional wedge. Izv. Ross Akad. Nauk. MTT 1993;(6):105–12] for an elliptical crack are compared. In the second part of the paper the case of a cut reaching the edge of the wedge at one point is considered. This models a V-shaped crack whose apex has reached the edge of the wedge, giving a new singular point in the solution of boundary-value problems for equations of elastic equilibrium. The asymptotic form of the normal displacements and stress in the vicinity of the crack tip is investigated. Here, the method employed in [Babeshko VA, Glushkov YeV, Zinchenko ZhF. The dynamics of Inhomogeneous Linearly Elastic Media. Moscow: Nauka; 1989] and [Glushkov YeV, Glushkova NV. Singularities of the elastic stress field in the vicinity of the tip of a V-shaped three-dimensional crack. Izv. Ross Akad. Nauk. MTT 1992;(4):82–6] to find the operator spectrum is refined. The new basis function system selected enables the elements of an infinite-dimensional matrix to be expressed as converging series. The asymptotic form of the normal stress outside a V-shaped cut, which is identical with the asymptotic form of the contact pressure in the contact problem for an elastic wedge of half the aperture angle, is determined, when the contact area supplements the cut area up to the face of the wedge.     

Invariant Integrals for the Equilibrium Problem for a Plate with a Crack

We consider the equilibrium problem for a plate with a crack. The equilibrium of a plate is described by the biharmonic equation. Stress free boundary conditions are given on the crack faces. We introduce a perturbation of the domain in order to obtain an invariant Cherepanov–Rice-type integral which gives the energy release rate upon the quasistatic growth of a crack. We obtain a formula for the derivative of the energy functional with respect to the perturbation parameter which is useful in forecasting the development of a crack (for example, in study of local stability of a crack). The derivative of the energy functional is representable as an invariant integral along a sufficiently smooth closed contour. We construct some invariant integrals for the particular perturbations of a domain: translation of the whole cut and local translation along the cut.     

An axisymmetric steady-state thermoelastic problem of an external circular crack in an isotropic thick plate

A steady state thermoelastic mixed boundary value problem for an isotropic thick plate is considered in this paper. The faces of an external circular crack situated in the mid-plane of the plate are opened up by the application of temperature while the bounding surface of the plate are maintained at a constant zero temperature. Solution valid for large values of the ratio of the plate thickness to the diameter of the crack has been obtained. Expressions for various quantities of physical interest are derived by finding iterative solutions of the equations and the results are shown graphically.     

A Crack with Interfacial Bonds in an Isotropic Medium Strengthened with a Regular System of Stringers

An isotropic medium containing a system of foreign transverse rectilinear inclusions is considered. Such a medium can be interpreted as an infinite plate strengthened with a regular system of ribs (stringers) whose cross section is a very narrow rectangle. The medium is weakened by a rectilinear crack. The action of the stringers is replaced with unknown equivalent concentrated forces at the points of their connection with the medium. A model of a crack with areas where its faces interact with each other is investigated. This interaction is modeled by introducing bonds (adhesion forces) between faces in the crack tip zone. The boundary-value problem on equilibrium of the crack under the action of external tensile forces is reduced to a nonlinear singular integral equation, from the solution of which the tractions in the bonds are found. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 41, No. 6, pp. 773–782, November–December, 2005.     

Shape optimization of rigid inclusions for elastic plates with cracks

In the paper, we consider an optimal control problem of finding the most safe rigid inclusion shapes in elastic plates with cracks from the viewpoint of the Griffith rupture criterion. We make use of a general Kirchhoff–Love plate model with both vertical and horizontal displacements, and nonpenetration conditions are fulfilled on the crack faces. The dependence of the first derivative of the energy functional with respect to the crack length on regular shape perturbations of the rigid inclusion is analyzed. It is shown that there exists a solution of the optimal control problem.     

Delamination buckling of a rectangular orthotropic composite plate containing a band crack

The delamination buckling problem for a rectangular plate made of an orthotropic composite material is studied. The plate contains a band crack whose faces have an initial infinitesimal imperfection. The subsequent development of this imperfection due to an external compressive load acting along the crack is studied through the use of the three-dimensional geometrically nonlinear field equations of elasticity theory for anisotropic bodies. A criterion of initial imperfection is used in determining the critical forces. The corresponding boundary-value problems are solved by employing the boundary-form perturbation technique and the FEM. Numerical results for the critical force are presented.     

Plane contact problem of the indentation of a stamp into an elastic wedge

We consider the contact interaction of a stamp with rectilinear base and an elastic wedge. One of the wedge faces is fixed, and the stamp edge touches the wedge vertex. Using the Wiener–Hopf method, we have obtained an exact solution of this problem. We have also determined the stress distributions in the contact region and on the wedge fixed face as well as the displacements of its free boundary.     

Monitoring fatigue cracks and SIFs in plate structures solving inverse boundary value problems

In this work we present methods for the detection of cracks in plate and shell structures. In contrast to most of the common monitoring methods taking advantage of the reflection of surface waves at crack faces, the presented approach is based on the strain measured at different locations on the surface of the structure. This allows both the identification of crack position parameters, such as length, location and angles with respect to a reference coordinate system and the calculation of stress intensity factors (SIF). The solution of the direct problem is performed on the basis of the BFM (body force method) and the method of assembled point dislocations. The inverse problem is solved applying the PSO (particle swarm optimization) algorithm. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

楔型向错偶极子和裂纹的干涉效应

研究了晶体材料中一个楔型向错偶极子与裂纹的弹性干涉效应．运用复变函数方法获得了复势函数和应力场的封闭形式解答,导出了裂纹尖端应力强度因子和作用在向错偶极子中心点像力的解析表达式．获得了向错偶极子的位置、方向和偶臂长度对裂纹尖端应力强度因子的影响规律,并讨论了裂纹附近向错偶极子的平衡位置．结果表明向错偶极子靠近裂纹尖端时,对应力强度因子有明显的屏蔽或反屏蔽作用．     

An Optimal Size of a Rigid Thin Stiffener Reinforcing an Elastic Two-Dimensional Body on the Outer Edge

The equilibrium problem for a two-dimensional body with a crack is studied. We suppose that the body consists of two parts: an elastic part and a rigid thin stiffener on the outer edge of the body. Inequality-type boundary conditions are prescribed at the crack faces providing a non-penetration between the crack faces. For a family of variational problems, dependence of their solutions on the length of the thin rigid stiffener is investigated. It is shown that there exists a solution of an optimal control problem. For this problem, the cost functional is defined by a continuous functional on a solution space, while the length parameter serves as a control parameter.     

Antiplane fracture in a prestressed and prepolarized piezoelectric crystal

The general complex-variable solution to the equations of incrementalantiplane piezoelectricity is used to solve the problem of crackpropagation in a crystal in the presence of an initial stressand electric field. Remote incremental antiplane tractions arespecified and an incremental traction of the same intensityis applied to the crack faces. The initial fields are shownto have a pronounced effect on the near-tip stresses and onthe displacements of the crack faces. Griffith's criterion isused to determine the combination of electromechanical parametersrequired for incipient crack propagation. Received 22 April 2000.     

Derivatives of the energy functional for 2D‐problems with a crack under Signorini and friction conditions

We consider the two‐dimensional elasticity problem for an elastic body with a crack under unilateral constraints imposed at the crack. We assume that both the Signorini condition for non‐penetration of the crack faces and the condition of given friction between them are fulfilled. The problem is non‐linear and can be described by a variational inequality. Varying the shape of the crack by a local coordinate transformation of the domain, the first derivative of the energy functional to the problem with respect to the crack length is obtained, which gives the criterion for the crack growing. The regularity of the solution is discussed and the singular solution is performed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On elastic bodies with thin rigid inclusions and cracks

This paper is concerned with the analysis of equilibrium problems for two‐dimensional elastic bodies with thin rigid inclusions and cracks. Inequality‐type boundary conditions are imposed at the crack faces providing a mutual non‐penetration between the crack faces. A rigid inclusion may have a delamination, thus forming a crack with non‐penetration between the opposite faces. We analyze variational and differential problem formulations. Different geometrical situations are considered, in particular, a crack may be parallel to the inclusion as well as the crack may cross the inclusion, and also a deviation of the crack from the rigid inclusion is considered. We obtain a formula for the derivative of the energy functional with respect to the crack length for considering this derivative as a cost functional. An optimal control problem is analyzed to control the crack growth. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical solution of an equilibrium problem for an elastic body with a thin delaminated rigid inclusion

Under consideration is a 2D-problem of elasticity theory for a body with a thin rigid inclusion. It is assumed that there is a delamination crack between the rigid inclusion and the elastic matrix. At the crack faces, the boundary conditions are set in the form of inequalities providing mutual nonpenetration of the crack faces. Some numerical method is proposed for solving the problem, based on domain decomposition and the Uzawa algorithm for solving variational inequalities.We give an example of numerical calculation by the finite element method.     

Optimal Control of Inclusion and Crack Shapes in Elastic Bodies

The paper is concerned with the control of the shape of rigid and elastic inclusions and crack paths in elastic bodies. We provide the corresponding problem formulations and analyze the shape sensitivity of such inclusions and cracks with respect to different perturbations. Inequality type boundary conditions are imposed at the crack faces to provide a mutual nonpenetration between crack faces. Inclusion and crack shapes are considered as control functions and control objectives, respectively. The cost functional, which is based on the Griffith rupture criterion, characterizes the energy release rate and provides the shape sensitivity with respect to a change of the geometry. We prove an existence of optimal solutions.     

A boundary element analysis for stress intensity factors of multiple circular arc cracks in a plane elasticity plate

In this paper, a numerical approach for analyzing interacting multiple cracks in infinite linear elastic media is presented. By extending Bueckner’s principle suited for a crack to a general system containing multiple interacting cracks, the original problem is divided into a homogeneous problem (the one without cracks) subjected to remote loads and a multiple crack problem in an unloaded body with applied tractions on the crack surfaces. Thus, the results in terms of the stress intensity factors (SIFs) can be obtained by considering the latter problem, which is analyzed easily by means of the displacement discontinuity method with crack-tip elements proposed recently by the author. Test examples are given to illustrate that the numerical approach is very accurate for analyzing interacting multiple cracks in an infinite linear elastic media under remote uniform stresses. In addition, the displacement discontinuity method with crack-tip elements is used to analyze a multiple crack problem in a finite plate. It is found that the boundary element method is also very accurate for investigating interacting multiple cracks in a finite plate. Specially, a generalization of Bueckner’s principle and the displacement discontinuity method with crack-tip elements are used to analyze multiple circular arc crack problems in infinite plate in tension (including: Two Collinear Circular Arc Cracks, Three Collinear Circular Arc Cracks, Two Parallel Circular Arc Cracks, Three Parallel Circular Arc Cracks and Two Circular Arc Cracks) in a plane elasticity plate. Many results are given.     

Mathematical and Numerical Simulation of Equilibrium of an Elastic Body Reinforced by a Thin Elastic Inclusion

A boundary value problem describing the equilibrium of a two-dimensional linear elastic body with a thin rectilinear elastic inclusion and possible delamination is considered. The stress and strain state of the inclusion is described using the equations of the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. Delamination means the existence of a crack between the inclusion and the elastic matrix. Nonlinear boundary conditions preventing crack face interpenetration are imposed on the crack faces. As a result, problem with an unknown contact domain is obtained. The problem is solved numerically by applying an iterative algorithm based on the domain decomposition method and an Uzawa-type algorithm for solving variational inequalities. Numerical results illustrating the efficiency of the proposed algorithm are presented.