On the stress wave induced curving of fast running cracks -- a numerical study by a time-domain boundary element method (Q1288690)

We investigate the fast crack propagation in dynamically loaded plane structures. The major point of interest is the evolution of crack trajectory under the influence of stress waves which are generated and repeatedly reflected at the specimen boundaries. Since these waves may lead to arbitrary mixed-mode and time-dependent loading of the crack tip, both the direction and speed of crack advance are determined from a fracture criterion. Starting point is a system of time-domain boundary integral equations which describes the initial boundary value problem of a linear elastic body containing an arbitrary growing crack. The unknown displacements and/or tractions on the exterior boundary and the displacement jumps across the crack are computed numerically by a collocation method in conjunction with a time-stepping scheme. Crack growth is then modelled by adding new boundary elements of constant length at the running crack tip.