Analysis of Kinked Crack under Uniform Heat Flow

Abstract

A thermo‐elastic problem is analyzed for an infinite plate with a kinked crack, which occurs from an end of a linear initial crack. The plate is subjected to a uniform heat flow in an arbitrary direction. The rational mapping function of a sum of fractional expressions, thermal dislocation and the complex variable method are used in the analysis. A closed solution is obtained for the shape represented by the rational mapping function. Distributions of heat flow, temperature and stress, the stress intensity factor and singularity of heat flow are investigated, both before and after the occurrence of a kinked crack.