Infinite sequence of parallel cracks in an anisotropic piezoelectric solid Original Research Article

In this paper, the problem of an infinite sequence of parallel cracks in an infinite extended piezoelectric solid is analyzed. A system of singular integral equations is formulated for general anisotropic piezoelectric materials, of which the kernel functions developed are in complex form. For commonly used transversely isotropic piezoelectric materials, the kernel functions are given in real forms. Furthermore, the obtained real kernel functions may be reduced, respectively, to those kernel functions for purely elastic and purely electric problems when the coupled mechanical and electric effects disappear. The system of singular integral equations is solved numerically and the coupling effects of the mechanical and electric phenomena are presented by the generalized stress intensity factors.