A thermoelastic problem for interface cracks with contact zones (Q1434740)

The authors consider a plane problem for a set of interface cracks in an infinite isotropic bimaterial under the action of remote mixed mode mechanicall loading and heat flux. An exact analytical solution, which takes into account contact zones at both crack tips, is found. The set of transcendental equations for the determination of the length of contact zone is formulated, and the analytical formulae for the associated stress intensity factors are given. Moreover, a numerical analysis has been performed for a single crack with one and two contact zones under the action of a tensile loading and a heat flux.