Non-symmetric extension of a plane crack due to plane SH-waves in a prestressed infinite elastic medium

Abstract

In an infinite isotropic elastic medium initially in a state of uniform anti-plane shear, the problem of non-symmetric extension of an infinitesimal flaw into a plane shear crack due to two identical linearly varying plane SH-waves with non-parallel wave fronts has been analyzed. Fracture is assumed to initiate at a point a finite time after the waves intersect there and the crack is assumed to extend non-symmetrically along the trace of the wave intersection. Following Cherepanov [i0], Cherepanov and Afanas'ev [11] the general solution of the problem has been derived in terms of analytic function of complex variable. Numerical results have been presented to illustrate the nature of variation of the stress intensity factors and the rate of energy flux into the crack edges with the speed of the crack tips and also with the time after fracture initiation.