A new boundary integral equation for notch problem of antiplane elasticity

In this paper the notch problem of antiplane elasticity is discussed and a new boundary integral equation is formulated. In the problem, the distributed dislocation density is taken to be the unknown function. Unlike the usual choice, the resultant force function is taken as the right hand term of the integral equation; therefore, a new boundary integral equation for the notch problem of antiplane elasticity with a weaker singular kernel (logarithmic) is obtained. After introducing a particular fundamental solution of antiplane elasticity, the notch problem for the half-plane is discussed and the relevant boundary integral equation is formulated. The integral equations derived are compact in form and convenient for computation. Numerical examples demonstrated that high accuracy can be achieved by using the new boundary equation.     

Numerical solution of the dynamic stability problems

A novel integral equation technique is employed for the analysis of dynamic stability problems. The governing equation of the linearized parametric resonance problem is transformed into an integral equation. The kernel of the integral equation is computed as the influence function for the deflection and/or bending moment of a corresponding beam. The highest derivative of the governing function (in our case fourth derivative of the displacement function) is chosen as the basic unknown. Using the formal analogy with the differential equation of the beam flexure this highest derivative is comprehended as some unknown transverse ‘load’. The distribution of this ‘load’ is a priori assumed to be polygonal. Using elementary methods of structural analysis, the displacements due to the assumed ‘load’ are determined. These displacements, arrayed into a square matrix, approximate the kernel of the governing integral equation. The subsequent procedure via Hill's determinant is a conventional one. The results prove to be accurate enough even for a very modest number of points of integration. This reflects the fact that the method is based on numerical integration rather than on numerical differentiation.     

New Fredholm integral equation for multiple crack problem in plane elasticity and antiplane elasticity

A singular integral equation for the multiple crack problem of plane elasticity is formulated in this paper. In the formulation we choose the crack opening displacement (COD) as unknown function and the resultant force as the right hand term of the equation. After using Vekua's regularization procedure or making inversion of the Cauchy singular integral in the equation, a new Fredholm integral equation is obtainable. The obtained Fredholm integral equation is compact in form and easy for computation. After solving the equation, the CODs of the cracks and the stress intensity factors (SIFs) at the crack tips can be derived immediately. Similar formulation for the multiple crack problem of antiplane elasticity is also presented. Finally, numerical examples are given to demonstrate the use of the proposed integral equation approach.     

Integral identities of potential theory of radiation and diffraction of regular water waves by a body

Summary The study presents a new general integral identity for the velocity potential of flow about a body in regular water waves. This integral identity is valid outside, inside, and exactly on the surface of the body, and is equivalent to the set of three classical identities valid strictly outside, inside, and on the body, respectively. For the usual problem of wave radiation and diffraction by a body, the integral identity yields an integral equation for determining the potential on the body surface. An interesting feature of the integral identity and related integral equation obtained in this study is that they involve an integral of the Green function over the waterplane inside the body in the case of an open sea-surface piercing body. Alternatively, these equations can be expressed in terms of a modified Green function involving the previously-noted waterplane integral of the Green function.     

Volume integration in the hypersingular boundary integral equation

The evaluation of volume integrals that arise in conjunction with a hypersingular boundary integral formulation is considered. In a recent work for the standard (singular) boundary integral equation, the volume term was decomposed into an easily computed boundary integral, plus a remainder volume integral with a modified source function. The key feature of this modified function is that it is everywhere zero on the boundary. In this work it is shown that the same basic approach is successful for the hypersingular equation, despite the stronger singularity in the domain integral. Specifically, the volume term can be directly evaluated without a body-fitted volume mesh, by means of a regular grid of cells that cover the domain. Cells that intersect the boundary are treated by continuously extending the integrand to be zero outside the domain. The method and error results for test problems are presented in terms of the three-dimensional Poisson problem, but the techniques are expected to be generally applicable.     

Green's functions for Kirchhoff plates of irregular shape

A method is proposed for the construction of Green's functions for the Sophie Germain equation in regions of irregular shape with mixed boundary conditions imposed. The method is based on the boundary integral equation approach where a kernel vector function B satisfies the biharmonic equation inside the region. This leads to a regular boundary integral equation where the compensating loads and moments are applied to the boundary. Green's function is consequently expressed in terms of the kernel vector function B, the fundamental solution function of the biharmonic equation, and kernel functions of the inverse regular integral operators. To compute moments and forces, the kernel functions are differentiated under the integral sign. The proposed method appears highly effective in computing both displacements and stress components.     

Numerical solutions of a hypersingular integral equation for antiplane elastic curved crack problems of circular regions

Summary. In this paper, a hypersingular integral equation for the antiplane elasticity curved crack problems of circular regions is suggested. The original complex potential is formulated on a distribution of the density function along a curve, where the density function is the COD (crack opening displacement). The modified complex potential can also be established, provided the circular boundary is traction free or fixed. Using the proposed modified complex potential and the boundary condition, the hypersingular integral equation is obtained. The curve length method is suggested to solve the integral equation numerically. By using this method, the usual integration rule on the real axis can be used to the curved crack problems. In order to prove that the suggested method can be used to solve more complicated cases of the curved cracks, several numerical examples are given.     

Singularity-reduced integral equations for displacement discontinuities in three-dimensional linear elastic media

A systematic procedure is followed to develop singularity-reduced integral equations for displacement discontinuities in homogeneous linear elastic media. The procedure readily reproduces and generalizes, in a unified manner, various integral equations previously developed by other means, and it leads to a new stress relation from which a general weakly-singular, weak-form traction integral equation is established. An isolated discontinuity is treated first (including, as special cases, cracks and dislocations) after which singularity-reduced integral equations are obtained for cracks in a finite domain. The first step in the development is to regularize Somigliana's identity by utilizing a stress function for the stress fundamental solution to effect an integration by parts. The resulting integral equation is valid irrespective of the choice of stress function (as guaranteed by a certain ‘closure condition’ established for the integral operator), but certain particular forms of the stress function are introduced and discussed, including one which admits an interpretation as a ‘line discontinuity’. A singularity-reduced integral equation for the displacement gradients is then obtained by utilizing a relation between the stress function and the stress fundamental solution along with the closure condition. This construction does not rely upon a particular choice of stress function, and the final integral equation (which is a generalization of Mura's (1963) formula) has a kernel which is a simple function of the stress fundamental solution. From this relation, singularity-reduced integral equations for the stress and traction are easily obtained. The key step in the further development is the construction of an alternative stress integral equation for which a differential operator has been ‘factored out’ of the integral. This is accomplished by, in essence, establishing a stress function for the stress field induced by the discontinuity. A weak-form traction integral equation is then readily obtained and involves a kernel which is only weakly-singular. The nonuniqueness of this kernel is discussed in detail and it is shown that, at least in a certain sense, the kernel which is given is the simplest possible. The results for an isolated discontinuity are then adapted to treat cracks in a finite domain. In doing so, emphasis is given to the development of weakly-singular, weak-form displacement and traction integral equations since these form the basis of an effective numerical procedure for fracture analysis (Li et al., 1998), and such equations are presented for both elastostatics and elastodynamics. A noteworthy aspect of the development is that there is no need to introduce Cauchy principal value integrals much less Hadamard finite part integrals. Finally, the utility of the systematic procedure presented here for use in obtaining singularity-reduced integral equations for other unbounded media (viz. the half-space and bi-material) is indicated. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermal stresses near a penny-shaped crack in an elastic sphere embedded in an infinite elastic space

This paper gives an analysis of the distribution of thermal stresses in a sphere which is bonded to an infinite elastic medium. The thermal and the elastic properties of the sphere and the elastic infinite medium are assumed to be different. The penny-shaped crack lies on the diametral plane of the sphere and the centre of the crack is the centre of the sphere. By making a suitable representation of the temperature function, the heat conduction problem is reduced to the solution of a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind. Using suitable solution of the thermoelastic displacement differential equation, the problem is then reduced to the solution of a Fredholm integral equation, in which the solution of the earlier integral equation arising from heat conduction problem occurs as a known function. Numerical solutions of these two Fredholm integral equations are obtained. These solutions are used to evaluate numerical values for the stress intensity factors. These values are displayed graphically.     

Dynamic SIF of interface crack between two dissimilar viscoelastic bodies under impact loading*

In this paper, the transient dynamic stress intensity factor (SIF) is determined for an interface crack between two dissimilar half-infinite isotropic viscoelastic bodies under impact loading. An anti-plane step loading is assumed to act suddenly on the surface of interface crack of finite length. The stress field incurred near the crack tip is analyzed. The integral transformation method and singular integral equation approach are used to get the solution. By virtue of the integral transformation method, the viscoelastic mixed boundary problem is reduced to a set of dual integral equations of crack open displacement function in the transformation domain. The dual integral equations can be further transformed into the first kind of Cauchy-type singular integral equation (SIE) by introduction of crack dislocation density function. A piecewise continuous function approach is adopted to get the numerical solution of SIE. Finally, numerical inverse integral transformation is performed and the dynamic SIF in transformation domain is recovered to that in time domain. The dynamic SIF during a small time-interval is evaluated, and the effects of the viscoelastic material parameters on dynamic SIF are analyzed.     

Perturbation method for the solution of a Zener–Stroh crack with a slightly curved configuration

This paper investigates the Zener–Stroh crack with curved configuration in plane elasticity. A singular integral equation is suggested to solve the problem. Formulae for evaluating the SIFs and T-stress at the crack tip are suggested. If the curve configuration is a product of a small parameter and a quadratic function, a perturbation method based on the singular integral equation is suggested. In the method, the singular integral equation can be expanded into a series with respect to the small parameter. Therefore, many singular integral equations can be separated from the same power order for the small parameter. These singular integral equations can be solved successively. The solution of the successive singular integral equations will provide results for stress intensity factors and T-stress at the crack tip. It is found that the behaviors for the solution of SIFs and T-stress in the Zener–Stroh crack and the Griffith crack are quite different. This can be seen from the presented comparison results.     

A local boundary integral equation method for potential problems

Boundary integral equation (boundary element) methods have the advantage over other commonly used numerical methods that they do not require values of the unknowns at points within the solution domain to be computed. Further benefits would be obtained if attention could be confined to information at one small part of the boundary, the particular region of interest in a given problem. A local boundary integral equation method based on a Taylor series expansion of the unknown function is developed to do this for two-dimensional potential problems governed by Laplace's equation. Very accurate local values of the function and its derivatives can be obtained. The method should find particular application in the efficient refinement of approximate solutions obtained by other numerical techniques.     

New integral equation in the thin airfoil problem

Summary A new integral equation concerning the thin airfoil problem is proposed. In this equation, the unknown function represents vorticity along the thin airfoil, and the right hand term of the equation is chosen as the stream function in two-dimensional potential flow. The equation has a logarithm kernel with a weaker singularity than the known one [1]. After solution of the integral equation, i.e. after determination of vorticity, the lift forces and moment actjing on the thin airfoil can be calculated immediately, as it follows from the Blasius's formulae. Several numerical examples are given.     

A natural approach to the introduction of finite-part integrals into crack problems of three-dimensional elasticity

The classical singular integral equation for the problem of a plane crack inside an infinite isotropic elastic medium and under an arbitrary normal pressure distribution was recently modified and written without the use of the Laplace operator Δ or the derivatives of the unknown function, but with the use of a finite-part integral. In this paper, a second complete derivation of the same equation is made (not based on previous forms of this equation) by using a limiting procedure, which makes it clear why the finite-part integral results in this equation. It is believed that the present results will be used in future for the introduction of finite-part integrals into a lot of crack problems in the theory of three-dimensional elasticity.     

Vector potential integral formulation for eddy-current proberesponse to cracks

A boundary integral vector potential formulation has been developed to evaluate eddy-current interactions with three-dimensional finite cracks in conductors. The approach is compared with an electric field integral equation method also used for solving crack problems in eddy-current nondestructive evaluation. An important advantage of the vector potential integral formulation is that the kernel has a weak singularity, but a drawback is that two unknown functions must be found on the crack surface. One of these functions, the current dipole density, represents the effect of the crack in terms of an induced source, and the other function is a solution of the two-dimensional Laplace equation. By contrast, the source density alone is needed for a complete solution of the electric field integral equation. In order to determine the surface Laplacian for finite cracks of arbitrary shape, a general numerical solution utilizing the boundary element technique is introduced. Numerical predictions of the eddy-current probe response to a crack give good agreement with experimental measurements, supporting the validity of the formulation     

Numerical solution of first passage problems using an approximate Chapman-Kolmogorov relation

A new deterministic numerical method for solving first passage time problem is described, analyzed and computationally tested. The method is based on recursively solving an integral equation for the reliability function. The integral equation is derived from the Chapman-Kolmogorov relation and involves an approximation to the Green's function for the forward Kolmogorov equation. An error analysis yields estimates of convergence rates. Numerical experiments indicate that the method is stable and can accurately approximate the reliability function and first passage times.     

COMPLEX VARIABLE BOUNDARY ELEMENT METHOD FOR TORSION OF COMPOSITE SHAFTS

The problem of torsion of composite shafts consisting of a cylindrical matrix surrounding a finite number of inclusions is solved by using the complex variable boundary element method. The method consists in reducing the problem to the solution of a singular integral equation in terms of an analytic function of a complex variable using the Cauchy integral. The resulting integral equation is then solved numerically by discretizing the boundaries into segments called complex boundary elements and replacing the analytic function on the boundaries by interpolating function. Numerical examples are given for a square shaft with a circular inclusion, and for an elliptic shaft with two elliptic inclusions. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computation of weight functions for three-dimensional cracks by the boundary element method

A boundary element procedure is presented for calculating weight functions for three-dimensional cracks with a smooth front. The weight function for the particular point at the crack front is represented as a sum of regular and singular parts. The known weight function for a circular crack in an infinite body is used as the singular part. The boundary integral equation is formulated for the regular part of the weight function in the vicinity of considered crack front point and for the whole weight function for the rest of the body. A discretized form of the boundary integral equation is given. Some examples are provided to test the accuracy of the proposed procedure.     

A method for the numerical solution of singular integral equations with a principal value integral

A method for the numerical solution of singular integral equations with kernels having a singularity of the Cauchy type is presented. The singular behavior of the unknown function is explicitly built into the solution using the index theorem. The integral equation is replaced by integral relations at a discrete set of points. The integrand is then approximated by piecewise linear functions involving the value of the unknown function at a finite set of points. This permits integration in a closed form analytically. Thus the problem is reduced to a system of linear algebraic equations. The results obtained in this way are compared with the more sophisticated procedures based on Gauss-Chebyshev and Lobatto-Chebyshev quadrature formulae. An integral equation arising in a crack problem of the classical theory of elasticity is used for this purpose.     

Doubly periodic volume?surface integral equation formulation for modelling metamaterials

A generalised volume-surface integral equation is extended by way of the periodic Green's function to model arbitrarily complex designs of metamaterials consisting of high-contrast inhomogeneous anisotropic material regions as well as metallic inclusions. The unique aspect of the formulation is the integration of boundary and volume integral equations to increase modelling efficiency and capability. Specifically, the boundary integral approach with equivalent surface currents is adopted over regions consisting of piecewise homogeneous materials as well as metallic perfect electric/magnetic conductor inclusions, whereas the volume integral equation is employed only in inhomogeneous and/or anisotropic material regions. Because the periodic Green's function only needs to be evaluated for the equivalent surface currents enclosing an inhomogeneous and/or anisotropic region, matrix fill time is much less as compared to using a volume formulation. Furthermore, the incorporation of curvilinear finite elements allows for greater geometrical modelling flexibility for arbitrarily shaped high-contrast regions found in typical designs of engineered metamaterials