Dual Boundary Element Analysis of Cracked Plates

‎ The dual boundary element method is formulated‎ ‎for the analysis of linear elastic cracked plates‎. ‎The dual boundary‎ ‎integral equations of the method are the displacement and the‎ ‎traction equations‎. ‎When these equations are simultaneously applied‎ ‎along the crack boundaries‎, ‎general crack problems can be solved in‎ ‎a single-region formulation‎, ‎with both crack boundaries discretized‎ ‎with discontinuous boundary elements‎. ‎The stress intensity factors‎ ‎evaluation is carried out by the J-integral decomposition method‎ ‎which is applied on a circular path‎, ‎defined around each crack tip‎.‎Examples of geometries with edge‎, ‎and embedded cracks are analyzed‎.‎The accuracy and efficiency of the dual boundary element method and‎ ‎the J-integral make the present formulation ideal for the study of‎ ‎cracked plates‎.