Antiplane shear of a domain with two closely located cracks (Q1098364)

The problem of antiplane shear deformation of a domain with two closely located parallel cracks is investigated. The cracks are assumed to have different lengths and separated by a small distance. The smaller crack can be above the larger crack or displaced relative to it. An approximate asymptotic solution in terms of the small distance between the two cracks is developd. Approximate formulas, describing the qualitative dependence of the stress intensity factors on the small distance between the cracks, result from the solution. For canonical domains, when the limit problem has a solution in analytic form, the relationship obtained takes an explicit form. For the case of cracks with equal lengths, the formula for stress intensity factor is shown to lose its accuracy.