Structures with bridged cracks and weak interfaces

Abstract

Structures with interfacial bridged cracks and weak interfaces are analyzed. In the frames of this approach is assumed that: a) the crack surfaces interact in some zones behind the crack tips (bridged zones); b) size of these zones can be comparable to the whole crack length; and c) the interface between different materials can be connected by mechanical ligaments and a relative displacement of initially adjacent materials may occur (non-ideal or weak interface). Several new problems for interface bridged cracks and interaction of bridged cracks with material interface were solved and analyzed by the direct boundary integral equations method.