Shape and topological sensitivity analysis in domains with cracks

Abstract

The framework for shape and topology sensitivity analysis in geometrical domains with cracks is established for elastic bodies in two spatial dimensions. The equilibrium problem for the elastic body with cracks is considered. Inequality type boundary conditions are prescribed at the crack faces providing a non-penetration between the crack faces. Modelling of such problems in two spatial dimensions is presented with all necessary details for further applications in shape optimization in structural mechanics. In the paper, general results on the shape and topology sensitivity analysis of this problem are provided. The results are of interest of their own. In particular, the existence of the shape and topological derivatives of the energy functional is obtained. The results presented in the paper can be used for numerical solution of shape optimization and inverse problems in structural mechanics.