Multiple cracks in a half-space under contact loading.

This paper develops a semi-analytic solution for multiple cracks in an isotropic half-space under contact loading. The solution takes into account interactions among all the cracks as well as the interactions between the cracks and the loading body. In formulating the governing equations for the subsurface crack problem, each crack of mixed modes I and II is modeled as a continuous distribution of climb and glide dislocations with unknown densities. Such a treatment converts the original contact problem concerning an inhomogeneous half-space into a homogeneous half-space contact problem, for which governing equations with unknown surface contact areas and normal pressure and tangential tractions within the areas can be conveniently formulated. All the unknowns in the governing equations are determined by means of iteration. The iterative process is performed until the convergence of the half-space surface displacements, which are the sum of the displacements due to the surface contact load and subsurface cracks. The solution is validated by the finite element method. Numerical examples are calculated to demonstrate the generality of the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]