On the dynamic propagation of an anti-plane shear crack in a functionally graded piezoelectric strip

Summary. In this paper, a finite crack propagating at constant speed in a functionally graded piezoelectric material (FGPM) is studied. It is assumed that the electroelastic material properties of the FGPM vary continuously according to exponential gradients along the thickness of the strip, and that the strip is under anti-plane shear mechanical and in-plane electrical loads. The analysis is conducted on the electrically unified (natural) crack boundary condition, which is related to the ellipsoidal crack parameters. By using the Fourier transform, the problem is reduced to the solutions of Fredholm integral equations of the second kind. Numerical results for the stress intensity factor and crack sliding displacement are presented to show the influences of the elliptic crack parameters, crack propagation speed, electric field, FGPM gradation, crack length, and electromechanical coupling coefficient. It reveals that there are considerable differences between traditional electric crack models and the present unified crack model.