Constitutive Equations of Power-Law Composites and Failure of Materials Having Multiple Cracks

Based upon the Mori-Tanaka method, the constitutive equations of power-law materials and the failure criteria of multiple cracks materials are investigated. The piecewise linear incremental approach is also employed to analyze the effective stress and strain of the power-law materials. Results are presented for the case of pure shear where the matrix is a power-law material with rigid or void inhomogeneities. For the multiple cracked materials, the Griffith fracture criterion is applied to determine the critical volume fraction which causes the catastrophic failure of a material. The failure criteria of penny shaped, flat ellipsoidal, and slit-like cracked materials are examined and it is found that the volume fraction of cracks and critical applied stress are in linear relation.