Dynamic crack propagation in a magneto-electro-elastic solid subjected to mixed loads: Transient Mode-III problem

The transient response of a Mode-III crack propagating in a magneto-electro-elastic solid subjected to mixed loads is investigated through solving the corresponding boundary-initial-value problem in both the cracked solid region and the interior fluid region with treatment of electro-magnetically permeable and impermeable crack face conditions in a unified way. The closed-form results for the dynamic field intensity factors are used to evaluate the dynamic energy release rate through the crack-tip dynamic contour integral. The permeability of the interior fluid region relative to the cracked solid region significantly affects the magneto-electro-mechanical coupling coefficient in the Bleustein–Gulyaev wave function and, consequently, the horizontal shear surface wave speed, the dynamic field intensity factors and the dynamic energy release rate. It is revealed from dynamic fracture mechanics analysis that the dynamic energy release rate thus obtained has an odd dependence on the dynamic electric displacement intensity factor and the dynamic magnetic induction intensity factor. It is also found that the horizontal shear surface wave speed provides the limiting velocity for the propagation of a Mode-III crack in a magneto-electro-elastic solid when there is only applied traction loading.