Stress analysis in a sheet with multiple cracks

The stress field due to the presence of a Volterra dislocation in an isotropic elastic sheet is obtained. The stress components exhibit the familiar Cauchy type singularity at dislocation location. The solution is utilized to construct integral equations for elastic sheets weakened by multiple embedded or edge cracks. The cracks are perpendicular to the sheet boundary and applied traction is such that crack closing may not occur. The integral equations are solved numerically and stress intensity factors (SIFs) are determined on a crack edges.