On the dynamic behaviour of interfacial cracks between a piezoelectric layer and an elastic substrate

Surface-bonded piezoelectric layers can be used as actuators/sensors for advanced structural applications. The current paper provides a theoretical study of the dynamic behaviour of interacting cracks between a piezoelectric layer and an elastic medium under antiplane mechanical loads. The electromechanical field of a single interfacial crack is determined first using Fourier transform technique and solving the resulting integral equations. This fundamental solution is then imple- mented into a pseudo-incident wave method to account for the interaction between different cracks. The dynamic behaviour of the resulting stress field is studied with special attention being paid to the stress intensity factors at the crack tips. Typical examples are provided to show the effect of the size and position of the cracks, the material combination and the loading frequency upon the stress intensity factors.