Evaluation of Stress Intensity Factors Associated with Bimaterial Cracks

Abstract
Asymptotic results given in an earlier paper (Atkinson, 1975) for a crack approaching a bimaterial interface, are rederived using an iterative method developed in that paper. For the case of an infinite medium, coefficients in the asymptotic expression are determined in closed form as complex integrals. These integrals are evaluated numerically and the final results compared with finite element results. Finite element calculations are also made for the finite plate case. Asymptotic expressions such as those given here should be useful in extrapolating stress intensity data to situations where numerical treatment is difficult.