The mode III cracks originating from the edge of a circular hole in a piezoelectric solid

A mode III fracture problem of edge cracks originating from a circular hole in an infinite piezoelectric solid is studied based on complex variable method combined with the method of conformal mapping. Explicit and exact expressions for the complex potentials, field intensity factors and energy release rates are presented under the assumption that the surface of the cracks and hole is electrically impermeable. Numerical analysis is then conducted to discuss the influences of crack length and applied mechanical/electric loads on the field intensity factors and energy release rate for one and two edge cracks, respectively. It is found that for the case of a single edge crack, the field intensity factors are greater than those of double edge cracks, and moreover the electric loads can either promote or retard crack growth, depending on the magnitude and direction of the applied electric loads.