Interaction of plane harmonic waves with a thin elastic inclusion of zero flexural rigidity

We solve the problem on the interaction of plane elastic harmonic waves with a thin elastic strip-shaped inclusion. The inclusion is contained in an unbounded body (matrix) that is under plane strain conditions. The normal forces applied by the medium to the inclusion side edges are taken into account. Because of the small thickness of the inclusion, we assume that its flexural rigidity is zero and that the shear displacements at any of its points coincide with the displacements of the corresponding points of its midplane. The displacements on the midplane itself can be found from the corresponding equation of the theory of plates. The solution method consists in representing the displacements as discontinuous solutions of the Lamé equations and then determining the unknown jump from a singular integral equation. This equation is solved numerically by the collocation method, and formulas for the approximate calculation of the stress intensity factors near the inclusion ends are obtained.