Time-domain boundary element analysis of dynamic near-tip fields for impact-loaded collinear cracks

Abstract

A time-domain boundary integral equation method has been developed to calculate elastodynamic fields generated by the incidence of stress (or displacement) pulses on single cracks and systems of two collinear cracks. The system of boundary integral equations has been cast in a form which is amenable to solution by the boundary element method in conjunction with a time-stepping technique. Particular attention has been devoted to dynamic overshoots of the stress intensity factors. Elastodynamic stress intensity factors for pulse incidence on a single crack have been computed as function of time, and they have been compared with results of other authors. For collinear macrocrack-microcrack configurations the stress intensity factors at both tips of the macrocrack have been computed as functions of time for various values of the crack spacing and the relative size of the microcrack.