Interaction of arbitrary multiple cracks in an infinite plate

Abstract

In this article, the interaction of arbitrary multiple cracks in an infinite plate is examined by means of a boundary element method consisting of the non-singular displacement discontinuity element presented by Crouch and Starfied and the crack tip displacement discontinuity elements proposed by the present author. In the boundary element implementation, the left or the right crack tip element is placed locally at the corresponding left or right crack tip on top of the constant displacement discontinuity elements that cover the entire crack surface and the other boundaries. The present numerical results of stress intensity factors (SIFs) for some typical multiple crack problems show that the numerical approach is simple yet very accurate for analysing the interaction of arbitrary multiple cracks in an infinite plate.