A layered composite containing a crack in its lower layer loaded by a rigid stamp

The elastostatic plane problem of a layered composite containing an internal or edge crack perpendicular to its boundaries in its lower layer is considered. The layered composite consists of two elastic layers having different elastic constants and heights and rests on two simple supports. Solution of the problem is obtained by superposition of solutions for the following two problems: The layered composite subjected to a concentrated load through a rigid rectangular stamp without a crack and the layered composite having a crack whose surface is subjected to the opposite of the stress distribution obtained from the solution of the first problem. Using theory of Elasticity and Fourier transform technique, the problem is formulated in terms of two singular integral equations. Solving these integral equations numerically by making use of Gauss–Chebyshev integration, numerical results related to the normal stress σ x ( 0 , y ) , the stress-intensity factors, and the crack opening displacements are presented and shown graphically for various dimensionless quantities.