Electroelastic analysis of a cracked piezoelectric ceramic strip sandwiched between two elastic dielectrics

The electroelastic analysis of a cracked piezoelectric composite is made. The piezoelectric composite consists of a piezoelectric ceramic strip sandwiched by two outer elastic dielectrics, and a crack is assumed to be located at the center of the piezoelectric strip and normal to the interfaces. By using an integral transform technique, the problem is reduced to singular integral equations with Cauchy kernel. Numerical solutions are determined via the Lobatto-Chebyshev collocation method. The field intensity factors for a realistic crack are obtained, and the solution of a realistic crack lies between those of an impermeable crack and a permeable crack. The results indicate that electric loading has an apparent influence on crack growth. This effect disappears when crack becomes permeable to electric field. Moreover, stiffer outer dielectrics can hinder crack growth.