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.