Concepedia

TLDR

The authors derive a path‑independent integral and governing equations for linear piezoelectric materials, then evaluate it at the crack tip to obtain the energy release rate for mode III fracture. A closed‑form solution for antiplane fracture in an unbounded piezoelectric medium shows that crack growth can be enhanced or retarded by the magnitude, direction, and type of applied electrical load, and that specific load ratios can arrest crack propagation.

Abstract

A conservation law that leads to a path-independent integral of fracture mechanics is derived along with the governing equations and boundary conditions for linear piezoelectric materials. A closed-form solution to the antiplane fracture problem is obtained for an unbounded piezoelectric medium. The path-independent integral is evaluated at the crack tip to obtain the energy release rate for a mode III fracture problem. For a fixed value of the mechanical load, it is shown that the crack growth can be either enhanced or retarded depending on the magnitude, the direction, and the type of the applied electrical load. It is also shown that, for certain ratios of the applied electrical load to mechanical load, crack arrestment can be observed.