Stress intensity factors for interacting cracks and complex crack configurations in linear elastic media

In this paper, an effective numerical method for analyzing interacting multiple cracks and complex crack configurations in infinite linear elastic media is presented. By extending Bueckner’s principle suited for a crack to a general system containing multiple interacting cracks, the original problem is divided into a homogeneous problem (the one without cracks) subjected to remote loads and a multiple-crack problem in an unloaded body with applied tractions on the crack surfaces. Thus, the results in terms of the stress intensity factors (SIFs) can be obtained by taking into account the latter problem, which is analyzed easily by means of the displacement discontinuity method with crack-tip elements proposed recently by the author. Test examples are included to illustrate that the method is very simple and effective for analyzing interacting multiple cracks and complex crack configurations in an infinite linear elastic media under remote uniform stresses. Specifically, analysis of perpendicular cracks under general in-plane loading is performed using the numerical approach and many numerical results are given in the form of tables.