ON THE GENERAL TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE INCLUSIONS IN ANTIPLANE ELASTOSTATICS

This article provides an explicit general solution of an infinitely ex tended plate containing any number of circular inclusions under antipl ane deformation. The derived solution of the present heterogeneous pro blem associated with multiple inclusions is obtained in terms of the c orresponding homogeneous solution by a simple algebraic substitution. This is accomplished by the technique of analytical continuation and t he method of successive approximations. A rapidly convergent series so lution either in the matrix or in the inclusions, which is expressed i n terms of an explicit general term involving the complex potential of the corresponding homogeneous problem, is derived in an elegant form. The present derived solution can also be applied to the inclusion pro blem with straight boundaries. Numerical examples of three circular in clusions embedded in an infinite matrix, in a half-plane matrix, and i n a strip are discussed in detail and displayed in graphic form. Inter action of a crack with multiple circular inclusions is also considered . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.