Analyses of infinite pairs of surface cracks in elastic plates

Stress intensity factors and crack opening displacements are presented for infinite pairs of surface cracks in plates subjected to remote tension by using the three dimensional weight function method developed in 7,8]. A wide range of configuration parameters is considered. The results compare very well with double edge cracks as crack aspect ratio tends to zero; with collinear cracks as it tends to infinity; with a pair of surface cracks in a wide plate when the ratio of crack length to plate width is small; and with a single surface crack in large plates when both the ratios of crack length to plate width and crack depth to plate thickness are small. Also illustrated is the significant difference between a single surface crack and the surface cracks in pairs when the ratio of crack depth to plate thickness is large.