Trefftz boundary element method applied to fracture mechanics

The linear elastic problem is solved by means of Trefftz functions which au tomatically satisfy the elasticity equations in a 2D domain. Using Kolosov- Muskhelishvili's complex variable representation, complex potentials are ex panded in power series. Trial elementary elastic fields are derived from ea ch expansion term. The Galerkin weighted residuals formulation is used to d erive the system of equations in which the unknowns are the retained expans ion coefficients. For crack problems, special expansions that satisfy the z ero traction condition along crack edges are used to obtain the approximati ng elastic field, which allow the direct determination of the stress intens ity factors. Several numerical results, obtained for typical crack problems using Trefftz Boundary Element Method, are presented and compared with tho se published by other authors. A simple example of multiple site damage wit h two offset parallel cracks is also analyzed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Lt d. All rights reserved.