On the Complex Stress Intensity Factor for Split type Interface Cracks Based on an Approximate Method

The simple method developed by Kachanov (1985) for multiple interacting cracks in homogenous medium is extended to predict complex stress intensity factor for multiple split type interface cracks. Calculations are implemented for two equal cracks and infinite row of periodic cracks at the interface between two dissimilar isotropic materials. Results for infinite row of cracks are compared against the exact analytical solution provided by Sih (1973). The approximate method leads to the results very close the exact solution for crack density up to 0.90 (relative error is less than 3.8% for real part of stress intensity factor) and material dissimilarity does not have a major influence on the error. For crack densities higher than 0.90, the influence of material dissimilarity is more evident and the error increases as material dissimilarity increases. The promising match between the approximate and exact method proves the capability of the approximate method for solving other interacting interface crack problems, such as multiple penny-shaped interface cracks, in which the solution is not obtained in the literature yet.