Analysis of a crack at the piezoceramic-metal interface and estimates of adhesion fracture energy

A plane strain problem is considered for the crack-delamination at the interface between a linear transversely isotropic piezoelectric and isotropic elastic conductor materials. The electro-elasticity analysis of a crack is reduced to a boundary-value problem on interface. A crack tip energy release rate on the distribution of the loading applied to the crack surfaces has been calculated by using the exact solutions of boundary-value problem in two limit cases such as models of electrically impermeable and permeable crack. These formulae allow giving the lower and upper estimations at experimental determination of the adhesion fracture energy of the piezoceramic-metal joints. Analytical example for such estimations is given. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved