The 3-D BEM implementation of a numerical Green's function for fracture mechanics applications

The use of Green's functions has been considered a powerful technique in th e solution of fracture mechanics problems by the boundary element method (B EM). Closed-form expressions for Green's function components, however, have only been available for few simple 2-D crack geometry applications and req uire complex variable theory. The present authors have recently introduced an alternative numerical procedure to compute the Green's function componen ts that produced BEM results for 2-D general geometry multiple crack proble ms, including static and dynamic applications. This technique is not restri cted to 2-D problems and the computational aspects of the 3-D implementatio n of the numerical Green's function approach are now discussed, including e xamples. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.