Microdefect interacting with a main crack: A general treatment (Q1209689)

A general solution is obtained to the two-dimensional problem of the interaction between a main crack and an arbitrarily located and oriented elliptical hole near its tip under mode I and mode II loading conditions. The analysis is based on the complex potentials of Muskhelishvili and an appropriate superposition procedure. The stress-intensity factor at the main crack is obtained in a general series form, and approximate closed- form solutions are also derived using a perturbation procedure. Shielding and amplification effects resulting from the presence of the microdefect have also been examined.