TEARING OF AN ELASTIC HALF-SPACE

The dynamic anti-plane problem of extension of cracks which emanate at an arbitrary angle from the surface of an elastic half-space due to t earing generated by prescribed anti-plane shear tractions has been con sidered. The problem has been solved using the self-similar technique, which is based on the observation that for the externally applied she ar stress the particle velocity is self-similar. The results include t he expressions for shear stress in the planes of the cracks and the st ress intensity factors at the crack tips. Finally, the variations of s tress intensity factors with angle of skew for different values of cra ck tip velocity have been depicted by graphical means.