This paper presents a numerical approach for modelling multiple-crack fatigue growth in a plane elastic infinite plate. It involves a generation of Bueckner's principle, a displacement discontinuity method with crack-tip elements (a boundary element method) proposed recently by the author, and an extension of Paris' equation to a multiple-crack problem under mixed-mode loading. Because of an intrinsic feature of the boundary element method, a general multiple-crack growth problem can be solved in a single region formulation. In the numerical simulation, for each increment of crack extension, remeshing of existing boundaries is not necessary. Crack extension is modelled conveniently by adding new boundary elements on the incremental crack extension to previous crack boundaries. As an example, interaction among three parallel cracks under cyclic load is investigated using the numerical approach. Many numerical results are given.
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