Impact response of a piezoelectric layered composite plate with a crack

The dynamic response of a central crack in a piezoelectric layered composite plate under normal impact is analyzed. The crack is oriented normally to the interfaces. The Laplace and Fourier transform techniques are used to formulate the problem in terms of a singular integral equation. The order of stress singularity around the tip of the terminated crack is also obtained. Numerical calculations are carried out, and the main results presented are the variations of the dynamic stress intensity factor and the dynamic energy density factor versus time as functions of the geometric parameters and the piezoelectric material properties of the layered composite plate. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.