Effect of polarization saturation on the stress intensity factor for a crack in an electrostrictive ceramic

A crack with electrically impermeable surfaces in an electrostrictive ceram ic with perfect saturation under electric loading is analysed. A strip satu ration model is introduced to investigate the effect of the electrical pola rization saturation on the stress intensity factor. The solutions of electr ic and elastic fields for the insulating crack with a strip saturation zone under large-scale saturation conditions are derived using the complex func tion theory. The stress intensity factor is obtained on the basis of the st rip saturation model and is compared with that obtained on the basis of the small-scale saturation model. It is found that the two models predict near ly indistinguishable stress intensity factors.