ANALYSIS OF A ZIGZAG ARRAY OF CIRCULAR INCLUSIONS IN A SOLID UNDER UNIAXIAL TENSION

This paper is concerned with a theoretical analysis of an infinite zig-zag array of circular inclusions in an infinite solid under uniaxial tension. We take properly defined unit regions, assume the complex stress potentials to be in the form of Laurent and Taylor series expansions, and determine the unknown coefficients from the boundary conditions for the unit regions. Numerical results for the interface stresses and the effect of inclusions on the tensile stiffness of the solid are given for various combinations of the mechanical and geometric parameters. The results are fitted to reliable polynomial formulae for the convenience of engineering applications.