3-DIMENSIONAL THERMOELASTIC PROBLEMS OF INTERFACE CRACKS IN PERIODIC 2-LAYERED COMPOSITES

This paper outlines the potential function method for solving three-di mensional interface crack problems of a two-layered periodic space, tr eated within the framework of linear stationary thermoelasticity with microlocal parameters. By constructing the appropriate harmonic functi ons, the resulting boundary-value problems regarding an interface crac k are reduced to corresponding ordinary problems dealing with mechanic al loading in homogeneous isothermal elasticity. This result-known as an analogy between the thermal crack problems and their mechanical cou nterparts-may be exploited to yield closed-form solutions following di rectly from that obtained in the isotropic case. In connection with th e theory of fracture mechanics, the thermal stress singularities as we ll as the effects of the geometrical and mechanical parameters of the composite structure on them are discussed.