Calculation of stress intensity factors for an interfacial crack between dissimilar anisotropic media, using a hybrid element method and the mutual integral (Q1892681)

The authors calculate stress intensity factors for an interfacial crack between dissimilar anisotropic media, using a hybrid element method and the mutual integral. The work is based on the complete form of stress and displacement fields and some auxiliary solutions. In both methods, numerical evaluations are carried out for interfacial central crack in a finite bimaterial block under a remote tensile loading. Comparisons are made with the exact solution derived by \textit{J. Qu} and \textit{J. L. Bassani} [J. Appl. Mech. 60, 422-431 (1993; Zbl 0774.73054)] to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of these numerical methods in calculating the stress intensity factors of an interfacial crack in an anisotropic bimaterial solid. Studies are also performed on simple model of an edge delamination crack at the joints in a laminated composite, with tension and moment load being applied. Numerical evaluations are carried out to quantify the effect of different lay-ups on the magnitude of the stress intensity factors for the edge delamination crack. It is demonstrated that certain lay-ups are more suitable when the joints are primarily under tension load while others are more suitable for joints under a moment load. Engineered materials such as laminated composites and ceramics are often used to improve the stiffness to weight ratio of aircraft structures. Such studies will go a long way to enhance the design of those laminated structures for greater strength.