Strip-saturation model for piezoelectric plane weakened by two collinear cracks with coalesced interior zones

A strip-saturation model is proposed for a transversely isotropic piezoelectric plane weakened by two collinear equal cracks, when developed saturation zones at the interior tips of the cracks get coalesced. The plane is subjected to unidirectional, normal (to the crack length) in-plane tension and electric displacement. The developed saturation zones are arrested by distributing over their rims the normal, cohesive, unidirectional saturation-limit electrical displacement. The solution is obtained using Stroh formulation and complex variable technique. Closed form expressions are derived for crack opening displacement (COD), crack potential drop (COP), field intensity factors, length of saturation zone, energy release rate. Case study carried out for PZT-4 to show the effects of inter-crack distance on the stress intensity factor. The variations of energy release rates are plotted for PZT-4, PZT-5H and BaTiO3 to study the effects of the geometry of the two cracks.