Thermoelectroelastic analysis of cracks in piezoelectric half-plane by BEM

The Green's function and the boundary element method for analysing fracture behaviour of cracks in piezoelectric half-plane are presented in this paper. By combining Stroh formalism and the concept of perturbation, a general thermoelectroelastic solution for half-plane solid subjected to point heat source and/or temperature discontinuity has been derived. Using the proposed solution and the potential variational principle, a boundary element model (BEM) for 2-D half-plane solid with multiple cracks has been developed and used to calculate the stress intensity factors of the multiple crack problem. The method is available for multiple crack problems in both finite and infinite solids. Numerical results for a two-crack system are presented and compared with those from finite element method (FEM).     

Comparative study of time and frequency domain BEM approaches in frictional contact problem for antiplane crack under harmonic loading

Two different boundary element methods (BEM) for crack analysis in two dimensional (2-D) antiplane, homogeneous, isotropic and linear elastic solids by considering frictional contact of the crack edges are presented. Hypersingular boundary integral equations (BIE) in time-domain (TD) and frequency domain (FD), with corresponding elastodynamic fundamental solutions are applied for this purpose. For evaluation of the hypersingular integrals involved in BIEs a special regularization process that converts the hypersingular integrals to regular integrals is applied. Simple regular formulas for their calculation are presented. For the problems solution while considering frictional contact of the crack edges a special iterative algorithm of Udzava's type is elaborated and used. Numerical results for crack opening, frictional contact forces and dynamic stress intensity factors (SIFs) are presented and discussed for a finite III-mode crack in an infinite domain subjected to a harmonic crack-face loading and considering crack edges frictional contact interaction using the TD and FD approaches.     

BEM for crack-hole problems in thermopiezoelectric materials

The boundary element formulation for analysing interaction between a hole and multiple cracks in piezoelectric materials is presented. Using Green's function for hole problems and variational principle, a boundary element model (BEM) for a 2-D thermopiezoelectric solid with cracks and holes has been developed and used to calculate stress intensity factors of the crack-hole problem. In BEM, the boundary condition on the hole circumference is satisfied a priori by Green's function, and is not involved in the boundary element equations. The method is applicable to multiple-crack problems in both finite and infinite solids. Numerical results for stress and electric displacement intensity factors at a particular crack tip in a crack-hole system of piezoelectric materials are presented to illustrate the application of the proposed formulation.     

A frequency-domain BEM for 3D non-synchronous crack interaction analysis in elastic solids

A frequency-domain boundary element method (BEM) is presented for non-synchronous crack interaction analysis in three-dimensional (3D), infinite, isotropic and linear elastic solids with multiple coplanar cracks. The cracks are subjected to non-synchronous time-harmonic crack-surface loading with contrast frequencies. Hypersingular frequency-domain traction boundary integral equations (BIEs) are applied to solve the boundary value problem. A collocation method is adopted for solving the BIEs numerically. The local square-root behavior of the crack-opening-displacements at the crack-front is taken into account in the present method. For two coplanar penny-shaped cracks of equal radius subjected to non-synchronous time-harmonic crack-surface loading, numerical results for the dynamic stress intensity factors are presented and discussed.     

A boundary element solution to elasto-plastic torsion of solids of revolution

A boundary element method for the solution of problems of elastic and elasto-plastic torsion of solids of revolution is proposed. The displacement and stress field produced by a circumferential ring load in an infinite elastic body are derived and used as the fundamental solution to establish the governing integral equations. For the elasto-plastic case, linear boundary elements and bilinear quadrilateral internal cells are used for discretization of these equations. In order to carry out Gaussian integrations along boundary elements and over internal cells, a method ensuring sufficient accuracy for the calculation of singular integrals is proposed. Numerical results for several problems are given.     

Elasto-plastic finite element analysis of a crack in an infinite plate

The elastic support method was recently developed to simulate the effects of unbounded solids in the finite element analysis of stresses and displacements. The method eliminates all the computational disadvantages encountered in the use of `infinite' elements or coupled finite element boundary element methods while retaining all the computational advantages of the finite element method. In this paper, the method is extended to the elasto-plastic analysis of fracture in infinite solids by using the load increment approach and including the effects of strain hardening. Numerical tests and parametric study are conducted by analysing a straight crack in an infinite plate. Present results for J integrals and plastified zones are compared, respectively, with analytical solutions and available results obtained by using the body force method. The agreement between the results is found to be very good even if the truncation boundary of the finite element model is located very close to the crack tip or the plastified zone.     

On the computation of two-dimensional stress intensity factors using the boundary element method

General two-dimensional linear elastic fracture problems are investigated using the boundary element method. The √r displacement and 1/√r traction behaviour near a crack tip are incorporated in special crack elements. Stress intensity factors of both modes I and II are obtained directly from crack-tip nodal values for a variety of crack problems, including straight and curved cracks in finite and infinite bodies. A multidomain approach is adopted to treat cracks in an infinite body. The body is subdivided into two regions: an infinite part with a finite hole and a finite inclusion. Numerical results, compared with exact solution whenever possible, are accurate even with a coarse discretization.     

Viscoplastic plane‐strain analysis of infinite solids using elastic supports

A highly efficient novel Finite Element Boundary Element Method (FEBEM) is proposed for the elasto‐viscoplastic plane‐strain analysis of displacements and stresses in infinite solids. The proposed method takes advantage of both the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Boundary Element Method (BEM) to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy by using the concept of elastic supports to simulate the effects of unbounded solid mass surrounding the region of interest. The BEM is used to compute the stiffnesses of elastic supports and to estimate the location of the truncation boundary for the finite element model. As compared to the conventional coupled FEBEM, the proposed method has three main computational advantages. Firstly, the symmetrical and highly banded form of the standard finite element stiffness matrix is not disturbed. Secondly, the proposed technique may be implemented simply by using standard codes for elasto‐viscoplastic finite element analysis and elastic boundary element analysis. Thirdly, the yielded zone is approximately located in advance by using the BEM and hence, an unnecessarily large extent of the domain does not have to be discretized for the finite element modelling. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method are demonstrated by computing elastic and elasto‐plastic displacements and stresses around ‘deep’ underground openings in rock mass subject to hydrostatic and non‐hydrostatic in situ stresses. Results obtained by the proposed method are compared with ‘exact’ solutions and with those obtained by using a BEM and a coupled FEBEM. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Layerwise fundamental solutions and three-dimensional model for layered media

A hybrid method is presented for the analysis of layers, plates, and multilayered systems consisting of isotropic and linear elastic materials. The problem is formulated for the general case of a multilayered system using a total potential energy formulation and employing the layerwise laminate theory of Reddy. The developed boundary integral equation model is two-dimensional, displacement based and assumes piecewise continuous distribution of the displacement components through the system's thickness. A one-dimensional finite element model is used for the analysis of the multilayered system through its thickness, and integral Fourier transforms are used to obtain the exact solution for the in-plane problem. Explicit expressions are obtained for the fundamental solution of a typical infinite layer (element), which can be applied in a two-dimensional boundary integral equation model to analyze layered structures. This model describes the three-dimensional displacement field at arbitrary points either in the domain of the layered medium or on its boundary. The proposed method provides a simple, efficient, and versatile model for a three-dimensional analysis of thick plates or multilayered systems.Visiting Assistant ProfessorOscar S. Wyatt, Jr. Chair     

A time-domain collocation-Galerkin BEM for transient dynamic crack analysis in anisotropic solids

This paper presents a time-domain boundary element method (BEM) for transient elastodynamic crack analysis in homogeneous and linear elastic solids of general anisotropy. A finite crack subjected to a transient loading is investigated. Two-dimensional (2D) generalized plane-strain or plane-stress condition is considered. The initial-boundary value problem is described by a set of hypersingular time-dependent traction boundary integral equations (BIEs), in which the crack-opening displacements (CODs) are unknown quantities. The hypersingular time-domain BIEs are first regularized to weakly singular ones by using spatial Galerkin method, which transfers the derivatives of the fundamental solutions to the unknown CODs and the weight functions. To solve the time-domain BIEs numerically, a time-stepping scheme is developed. The scheme applies the collocation method for temporal discretization of the time-domain BIEs. As spatial shape-functions, two different functions are implemented. For elements away from crack-tips, linear spatial shape-function is used, while for elements near the crack-tips a special ‘crack-tip shape-function’ is applied to describe the local ‘square-root’ behavior of the CODs at the crack-tips properly. Special attention of the analysis is devoted to the numerical computation of the transient elastodynamic stress intensity factors for cracks in general anisotropic and linear elastic solids. Numerical examples are presented to verify the accuracy of the present time-domain BEM.     

Advanced elastic and inelastic three-dimensional analysis of gas turbine engine structures by BEM

The boundary element method (BEM) has been known for some time to be extremely useful for the solution of elastic stress analysis problems involving high stress/strain gradients. In particular, the method has been extensively used for the study of both two and three-dimensional fracture mechanics problems. Recent analytical and numerical developments coupled with the general availability of greatly increased computing capacity have made both elastic and inelastic three-dimensional stress analysis feasible for complex geometries such as those found in gas turbine engine components. This paper summarizes the features of an advanced stress analysis method based on BEM for elastic and inelastic analyses of multizone or substructured three-dimensional solids. The elastic analyses involve isotropic or cross anisotropic media with thermal and centrifugal loading. The inelastic analyses include isotropic plasticity with variable hardening and kinematic plasticity with multiple yield surfaces.     

A hypersingular time‐domain BEM for 2D dynamic crack analysis in anisotropic solids

A hypersingular time‐domain boundary element method (BEM) for transient elastodynamic crack analysis in two‐dimensional (2D), homogeneous, anisotropic, and linear elastic solids is presented in this paper. Stationary cracks in both infinite and finite anisotropic solids under impact loading are investigated. On the external boundary of the cracked solid the classical displacement boundary integral equations (BIEs) are used, while the hypersingular traction BIEs are applied to the crack‐faces. The temporal discretization is performed by a collocation method, while a Galerkin method is implemented for the spatial discretization. Both temporal and spatial integrations are carried out analytically. Special analytical techniques are developed to directly compute strongly singular and hypersingular integrals. Only the line integrals over an unit circle arising in the elastodynamic fundamental solutions need to be computed numerically by standard Gaussian quadrature. An explicit time‐stepping scheme is obtained to compute the unknown boundary data including the crack‐opening‐displacements (CODs). Special crack‐tip elements are adopted to ensure a direct and an accurate computation of the elastodynamic stress intensity factors from the CODs. Several numerical examples are given to show the accuracy and the efficiency of the present hypersingular time‐domain BEM. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A general Boundary Element Analysis of 2-D Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics

This paper presents a boundary element method (BEM) analysis of linear elastic fracture mechanics in two-dimensional solids. The most outstanding feature of this new analysis is that it is a single-domain method, and yet it is very accurate, efficient and versatile: Material properties in the medium can be anisotropic as well as isotropic. Problem domain can be finite, infinite or semi-infinite. Cracks can be of multiple, branched, internal or edged type with a straight or curved shape. Loading can be of in-plane or anti-plane, and can be applied along the no-crack boundary or crack surface. Furthermore, the body-force case can also be analyzed. The present BEM analysis is an extension of the work by Pan and Amadei (1996a) and is such that the displacement and traction integral equations are collocated, respectively, on the no-crack boundary and on one side of the crack surface. Since in this formulation the displacement and/or traction are used as unknowns on the no-crack boundary and the relative crack displacement (i.e. displacement discontinuity) as unknown on the crack surface, it possesses the advantages of both the traditional displacement BEM and the displacement discontinuity method (DDM) and yet gets rid of the disadvantages associated with these methods when modeling fracture mechanics problems. Numerical examples of calculation of stress intensity factors (SIFs) for various benchmark problems were conducted and excellent agreement with previously published results was obtained. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Multiple holes,cracks, and inclusions in anisotropic viscoelastic solids

By using the elastic–viscoelastic correspondence principle, the problems with multiple holes, cracks, and inclusions in two-dimensional anisotropic viscoelastic solids are solved for the cases with time-invariant boundaries. Based upon this principle and the existing methods for the problems with anisotropic elastic materials, two different approaches are proposed in this paper. One is concerned with an analytical solution for certain specific cases such as two collinear cracks, collinear periodic cracks, and interaction between inclusion and crack, and the other is a boundary-based finite element method for the general cases with multiple holes, cracks, and inclusions. The former considers only specific cases in infinite domain and can be used as a reference for any other numerical methods, and the latter is applicable to any combination of holes, cracks and inclusions in finite domain, whose number, size and orientation are not restricted. Unlike the conventional finite element method or boundary element method which usually needs very fine meshes to get convergence solutions, in the proposed boundary-based finite element method no meshes are needed along the boundaries of holes, cracks and inclusions. To show the accuracy and efficiency of these two proposed approaches, several representative examples are implemented analytically and numerically, and they are compared with each other or with the solutions obtained by the finite element method.     

The stress intensity factors for pressed cracks in arbitrary shapes

A boundary element method (BEM) was specially developed for a crack under crack face pressure in arbitrary two-dimensional problems. It is based on the basic stress solutions for an infinite plane with a crack loaded by body forces and moment at arbitrary point, which were derived by Erdogan from the Kolosov-Muskhelishvili fundamental functions, and the basic solution for a crack in an infinite plate under crack surface pressure, so that the crack surface need not be modelled. Therefore, minimal modelling efforts are needed to obtain stress intensity factors with the method and its accuracy was established by comparing the obtained results with the exact SIF results and acceptable results for various problems of arbitrary shapes and loadings.     

A unified formulation and error estimation measure for the direct and the indirect boundary element methods in elasticity

In this paper, given a boundary value problem for a finite elastic body in two-dimensions, a problem of representing the solution by layers of point forces (F_j) and Somigliana dislocations (B_j) is considered in the infinite homogeneous body that contains the original finite body. In the boundary element method (BEM) solution, either the boundary displacement or traction component at each node is specified, but not both. This provides us a degree of freedom to arbitrarily specify the proportion of the densities F_j and B_j to be used in the direct and the indirect BEM formulations. The nature of the BEM solution errors is identified and a unified error estimation measure with a mesh refinement scheme for both formulations is proposed.     

Rayleigh wave correction for the BEM analysis of two‐dimensional elastodynamic problems in a half‐space

A simple, elegant approach is proposed to correct the error introduced by the truncation of the infinite boundary in the BEM modelling of two‐dimensional wave propagation problems in elastic half‐spaces. The proposed method exploits the knowledge of the far‐field asymptotic behaviour of the solution to adequately correct the BEM displacement system matrix for the truncated problem to account for the contribution of the omitted part of the boundary. The reciprocal theorem of elastodynamics is used for a convenient computation of this contribution involving the same boundary integrals that form the original BEM system. The method is formulated for a two‐dimensional homogeneous, isotropic, linearly elastic half‐space and its implementation in a frequency domain boundary element scheme is discussed in some detail. The formulation is then validated for a free Rayleigh pulse travelling on a half‐space and successfully tested for a benchmark problem with a known approximation to the analytical solution. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparative study of three BEM for transient dynamic crack analysis of 2-D anisotropic solids

Three different boundary element methods (BEM) for transient dynamic crack analysis in two-dimensional (2-D), homogeneous, anisotropic and linear elastic solids are presented. Hypersingular traction boundary integral equations (BIEs) in frequency- domain, Laplace-domain and time-domain with the corresponding elastodynamic fundamental solutions are applied for this purpose. In the frequency-domain and the Laplace-domain BEM, numerical solutions are first obtained in the transformed domain for discrete frequency or Laplace-transform parameters. Time-dependent results are subsequently obtained by means of the inverse Fourier-transform and the inverse Laplace-transform algorithm of Stehfest. In the time-domain BEM, the quadrature formula of Lubich is adopted to approximate the arising convolution integrals in the time-domain BIEs. Hypersingular integrals involved in the traction BIEs are computed through a regularization process that converts the hypersingular integrals to regular integrals, which can be computed numerically, and singular integrals which can be integrated analytically. Numerical results for the dynamic stress intensity factors are presented and discussed for a finite crack in an infinite domain subjected to an impact crack-face loading.     

A new boundary integral equation method of three-dimensional crack analysis

Introducing the mode II and mode III dislocation densities W ₂(y) and W ₃(y) of two variables, a new boundary integral equation method is proposed for the problem of a plane crack of arbitrary shape in a three-dimensional infinite elastic body under arbitrary unsymmetric loads. The fundamental stress solutions for three-dimensional crack analysis and the limiting formulas of stress intensity factors are derived. The problem is reduced to solving three two-dimensional singular boundary integral equations. The analytic solution of the axisymmetric problem of a circular crack under the unsymmetric loads is obtained. Some numerical examples of an elliptical crack or a semielliptical crack are given. The present formulations are of basic significance for further analytic or numerical analysis of three-dimensional crack problems.     

Transient dynamic analysis of interface cracks in layered anisotropic solids under impact loading

Transient elastodynamic crack analysis in two-dimensional (2D), layered, anisotropic and linear elastic solids is presented in this paper. A time-domain boundary element method (BEM) in conjunction with a multi-domain technique is developed for this purpose. Time-domain elastodynamic fundamental solutions for homogenous, anisotropic and linear elastic solids are applied in the present time-domain BEM. The spatial discretization of the boundary integral equations is performed by a Galerkin-method, while a collocation method is adopted for the temporal discretization of the arising convolution integrals. An explicit time-stepping scheme is developed to compute the unknown boundary data and the crack-opening-displacements (CODs). To show the effects of the crack configuration, the material anisotropy, the layer combination and the dynamic loading on the dynamic stress intensity factors and the scattered elastic wave fields, several numerical examples are presented and discussed.