Solution of a flat elliptical crack in an electrostrictive solid

Based on the assumption that the elastic strain of electrostrictive materials is a higher-order small quantity, this paper studies the 3D problem of an infinite electrostrictive solid with a flat elliptical crack which is electrically permeable. According to existing solutions of similar problems in pure elastic materials, with the displacement function method, we first derived explicit expression for displacement potential function and obtained stress field near the crack and open displacement of crack surface. Then, the general solution for the stress intensity factor was derived, and the corresponding solutions were also presented for a penny-shaped crack and a permeable line-crack as two special cases of the present problem. Finally, numerical results were given to discuss the effect of environment at infinity and electric field inside the crack on the stress-intensity factors. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.