INTERACTION OF ELASTIC-WAVES WITH 2 COPLANAR GRIFFITH CRACKS IN AN ORTHOTROPIC MEDIUM

The problem of diffraction of normally incident elastic waves by two c oplanar Griffith cracks situated in an infinite orthotropic medium has been analyzed. Fourier and Hilbert transforms have been used to solve this mixed boundary value problem. Approximate analytical results for stress intensity factors and crack opening displacement have been der ived when the wave lengths are large compared to the crack length. Num erical values of stress intensity factors and the crack opening displa cement for several orthotropic materials have been calculated and plot ted graphically to show the effect of material orthotropy.