On the stress field singularity in an incompressible half-space weakened by two near-surface wedge-like cracks

We consider the equilibrium problem for an elastic incompressible half-space weakened by two near-surface wedge-like cracks, whose lie in the same plane perpendicular to the half-space surface and have a common vertex. We use the Papkovich-Neuber representation to reduce the problem to finding two harmonic functions satisfying the mixed boundary conditions. These functions are constructed in spherical coordinates by using a Mehler-Fock type integral representation in Legendre functions. The analytic solution thus obtained permits finding the character of the stress distribution near the common tip of the cracks.