Crack-contact problem for an elastic layer with rigid stamps

The plane crack-contact problem for an infinite elastic layer with two symmetric rectangular rigid stamps on its upper and lower surfaces is considered. The elastic layer having an internal crack parallel to its surfaces is subjected to two concentrated loads P on its upper and lower surfaces trough the rigid rectangular stamps and a pair of uniform compressive stress p(0) along the crack surface. It is assumed that the contact between the elastic layer and the rigid stamps is frictionless and the effect of the gravity force is neglected. The problem is reduced to a system of singular integral equations in which the derivative of the crack surface displacement and the contact pressures are unknown functions. The system of singular integral equations is solved numerically by making use of an appropriate Gauss-Chebyshev integration formula. Numerical results for stress-intensity factor, critical load factor, Q(c), causing initial closure of the crack tip, the crack surface displacements and the contact stress distribution are presented and shown graphically for various dimensionless quantities.