THE DIFFRACTION OF PLANE ELASTIC-WAVES BY A DELAMINATED RIGID INCLUSION WHEN THERE IS SMOOTH CONTACT IN THE DELAMINATION REGION

A solution of the problem of the diffraction of harmonic elastic waves by a thin rigid strip-like delaminated inclusion in an unbounded elas tic medium,;in which the conditions for plane deformation are satisfie d, is proposed. We mean by a delaminated inclusion an inclusion, one s ide of which is completely bonded to the elastic medium, while the sec ond does not interact in any way with it, or this interaction is parti al. It is assumed that the conditions for smooth contact are satisfied in the delamination region. The method of solution is based on the us e of previously constructed discontinuous solutions of the equations d escribing the vibrations of an elastic medium under plane deformation conditions. The problem therefore reduces to solving a system of three singular integral equations in the unknown stress and strain jumps at the inclusion. An approximate solution of the latter enabled formulae to be obtained that are convenient for numerical realization when inv estigating the stressed state in the region of the inclusion and its d isplacements when acted upon by incident waves. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. All rights reserved.