Interference of Closable Cracks and Narrow Slits in an Elastic Plate Under Bending

Abstract

The problem of bending of an infinite plate containing an array of trough closable cracks and narrow slits is considered in a two-dimensional statement. A crack is treated as a mathematical cut, the edges of which are able to contact along the line on the plate outside. A slit is referred to as a cut with contact stress-free surfaces and the negative jump of normal displacement can occur on this cut. The crack closure caused by bending deformation was studied based on the classical hypothesis of direct normal and previously developed model of the contact of edges along the line. A new boundary problem for a couple of biharmonic equations of plane stress and plate bending with interconnected boundary conditions in the form of inequalities on the cuts is formulated. The method of singular integral equations was applied in order to develop approximate analytical and numerical solutions to the problem. The forces and moments intensity factors near the peaks of defects and contact reaction on the closed edges of the cracks are calculated. A detailed analysis was carried out for parallel rectilinear crack and slit, depending on their relative location. Presented results demonstrate qualitative differences in the stress concentration near the defects of different nature.