Finite element analysis of a bimaterial interface crack

In this investigation, the enriched element method developed by Benzley was extended to treat the stress analysis problem involving a bimaterial interface crack. Unlike crack problems in isotropic elasticity, where the stress singularity at the crack tip is of the inverse square root type, the interface crack contains an additional oscillatory singularity. Although the effect of this oscillatory characteristic is confined to a region very close to the crak tip, it nevertheless requires proper treatment in order to obtain accurate predictions on the stress intensity factors. Using appropriate crack tip stress and displacement expressions, the enriched element method can model the stress singularity for an interface crack exactly. The finite element implementation of this method has been made on the code APES. Stress intensity factor results predicted by the modified APES program compare favorably with those available in the literature. This indicates tha the enriched element technique provides an accurate and efficient numerical tool for the analysis of bimaterial interface crack problems.