Study of a Three-Dimensional Crack Terminating at an Interface

Abstract

In this study the stress intensity factors for a three-dimensional crack perpendicular to and terminating at a bimaterial interface are calculated. It is assumed that the crack is pressurized by a uniform pressure. The method of solution used here is based upon the body-force method and requires the analytical results from the elasticity point-force solution for a bimaterial interface. The solution technique leads to the reduction of the problem to a two-dimensional singular integral equation, which can be solved numerically for the crack opening displacement. Numerical examples of a semi-circular, semi-elliptical crack and growth of circular crack are given.