| Abstract: | The use of the boundary element method for the solution of linear elastic fracture mechanics problems, without body forces, is quite extensive since the method is intrinsically well suited to the analysis of high stress gradients associated with crack problems. The crack-tip stresses for rotating bodies are similar to the stresses for stationary bodies and therefore all the advantages of the boundary element procedure can be encompassed in the extension of the method to the solution of rotating bodies with cracks. In the present analysis, the additional volume integral that arises from the treatment of inertial body forces is eliminated by using the well-known particular integral procedure. The matrix ill-conditioning that results from the need to model co-planar crack surfaces of non-symmetrical cracks is avoided by using the multi-region approach. The accuracy of the numerical solutions is improved by utilizing quarter-point elements with traction singular enhancement at the crack-tip. The procedure is then applied to the solution of arbitrary cracks in two- and three-dimensional rotating bodies. |
