ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE FATIGUE CRACKS .1. THEORY

This paper analyzes the effects of multiple cracks situated in the contact zone vicinity of an elastic isotropic component, modeled as a half-plane. Friction between the crack faces is taken into account using Coulomb's law. Straight arbitrarily oriented cracks are considered. Any contact condition can be modeled between the crack faces as well as any loading condition over the half-plane surface, including complete loading cycles. The method has been tested for up to 5 cracks and shows no limitation in crack number. Further, the method is general as no prior assumptions concerning the state of the crack, i.e., the slip-stick-open configurations along the crack are required. The stress intensity factors (SIFs) calculated for two crack configuration are compared with those obtained for single cracks.