Anti-plane analysis of an orthotropic strip weakened by several moving cracks

In this paper several finite cracks with constant length (Yoffe-type crack) propagating in an orthotropic strip were studied. The distributed dislocation technique is used to carry out stress analysis in an orthotropic strip containing moving cracks under anti-plane loading. The solution of a moving screw dislocation is obtained in an orthotropic strip by means of Fourier transform method. The stress components reveal the familiar Cauchy singularity at the location of dislocation. The solution is employed to derive integral equations for a strip weakened by moving cracks. Finally several examples are solved and the numerical results for the stress intensity factor are obtained. The influences of the geometric parameters, the thickness of the orthotropic strip, the crack size and speed have significant effects on the stress intensity factors of crack tips which are displayed graphically.