Analysis of Semipermeable Crack Growth in Piezoelectric Materials Using Extended Finite Element Method

Piezoelectric materials possess special characteristics of electromechanical coupling behavior and thus have found numerous applications such as transducers, sensors, actuators. Fracture of piezoelectric materials has drawn substantial attention of the research community and is being widely investigated for predicting their failure. Most of the research on piezoelectric materials is based on impermeable crack conditions. In the present study semi-permeable crack boundary conditions has been analyzed using the extended finite element method (XFEM). Combined Mechanical and Electrical loading with quasi-static crack growth has been considered on a pre-cracked rectangular plate with crack at its edge and center. Stress intensity factors have been evaluated by interaction integral approach using the asymptotic crack tip fields. Effect of presence of minor cracks and holes have been analyzed on the intensity factors of semi-permeable major crack.