Solution of crack problems. The distributed dislocation technique (Q676086)

The dislocation technique is a comparatively less developed approach to mechanical fracture problems, with insufficient number of publications, especially, monographical ones. However, as it is shown in this book, the above approach may be very effectively applied to a broad class of crack problems. The present monograph is concerned with the solution of crack problems by implementing the Bückner's theorem. The basic method is to remove the undesirable tractions appearing along the crack faces by distribution of the various kinds of strain nuclei (i.e. edge dislocations and dislocation dipoles or loops) along the crack-line in two dimensions, or over the surface of the crack area in general three-dimensional problems. The solution is divided into three stages: first, the stresses in the body are found in the absence of the crack. Secondly, the stresses due to the chosen kind of strain nucleus are found in the same geometry. Finally, the authors consider the distribution of strain nuclei which leaves the crack faces to be traction free. The above procedure is described by an integral equation which can be solved by numerical quadrature. The first part of the book is devoted to a brief introduction into the fracture mechanics and to the development of the techniques for the solution of plane cracks problems using dislocations. The buried and surface-breaking open cracks serve as examples. Then the closed, kinked and curved cracks, and different cracks in finite geometries with modelling of crack-tip plasticity are considered together with cracks whose tips lie on the interface between dissimilar media and cracks which cross interfaces. For solution of axisymmetric crack problems, the authors exploy the technique of plane and ring dislocation dipoles. The arising singular integral equations with Cauchy kernels are discussed and solved by using numerical quadratures. In the three-dimensional crack problems (e.g. the straing nucleus) the authors apply an infinitesimal dislocation loop basing on the concept of a Volterra dislocation. A numerical technique to solve the arising hypersingular integral equations is developed in detail, using the singular integral interpretation in the Hadamard finite-part sense and piecewise constant or linear approximations. Finally, this approach is extended from crack problems with opening mode loading to the problem on a planar crack of arbitrary shape subjected to mixed-mode loading. Obviously, the above hybrid approach is very attractive, since the finite element part of the solution allows to include the effects of the sample geometry. The main nucleus (or equivalent) procedure permits to find subsequently the stress intensity factors, and the presented crack modelling technique possesses the flexibility of a general approach to take into account the problem geometry. Summarizing, the present monograph, as many other in this series, is an excellent educational and scientific book which combines a clear and correct mechanical statement for broad classes of cracks problems with mathematically rigorous solutions. The book can be recommended to graduate students and researchers in mechanics, physics and engineering.