Fast and accurate numerical solution to an elastostatic problem involving ten thousand randomly oriented cracks

An algorithm is presented for the multiple crack problem in planar linear e lastostatics. The algorithm has three important properties: it is stable, i t is adaptive, and its complexity is linear. This means that high accuracy can be achieved and that large-scale problems can be treated. In a numerica l example stress fields are accurately computed in a mechanically loaded ma terial containing 10,000 randomly oriented cracks. The computing time is ab out two and a half hours on a regular workstation.