Equilibrium of Mixed-mode Interface Cracks under Cleavage of an Elastic Plane Caused by an Edge Dislocation

AbstractFormation of shear-opening delamination and sliding zones along a weak interface in an elastic isotropic homogeneous plane subjected to wedging and uniaxial compression is studied. The shear-opening delamination is modeled by a mixed-mode crack, the sliding zones are modeled by pure shear cracks. The wedge is modeled by an edge dislocation. The interface is assumed to be much weaker as compare to the material of the plane so that the only interface cracks are considered.The possibility of formation of finite sliding zones ahead of the delamination on the weak interface is demonstrated. It is shown that depending on the combination of external parameters (ratio of the dislocation burgers vector and elastic modulus, distance from the dislocation to the interface, magnitude of applied compression, cohesion and friction angle of the interface) two configurations of cracks may be observed: one mixed mode crack, and three cracks – one central mixed mode crack and two external symmetrical shear cracks. In both cases the central crack (or a single crack) is a shear crack containing delamination in its central part