Abstract
We investigate the singular stress and electric fields in an orthotropic, nonhomogeneous piezoelectric ceramic strip containing a Griffith crack under longitudinal shear. The crack is situated symmetrically and oriented in a direction parallel to the edges of the strip a non-homogeneity is taken along a direction normal to the edges and is assumed to follow an exponential law. This allows to model a variety of media with material constants that vary monotonically along a certain direction.
The mathematical problem is reduced to the solution a pair of dual integral equations which are transformed, in turn, into an infinite system of linear algebraic equations solved by Gauss's elimination method. Numerical values for the stress intensity factor a energy release rate are obtained and the results are graphically represented to display the influence of the considered nonhomogeneity.
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