THE EDGE INTERFACE CRACK

An analysis of a crack lying along an interface between two elasticall y dissimilar quarter-planes, and breaking the free surface is given. T he method of distributed dislocations is employed and the nominal stre ss field is taken to be uniform along the length of the line of the cr ack. Models for crack tip behaviour are discussed and it is shown that a simplified quadrature can be used to extract the crack extension fo rce for cases where small-scale contact obtains. Values of the crack e xtension force are given, displayed on the alpha, beta diagram.