Numerical simulation of crack deflection and penetration at an interface in a bi-material under dynamic loading by time-domain boundary element method

The hybrid time-domain boundary element method (BEM), together with the multi-region technique, is applied to simulate the dynamic process of crack deflection/ penetration at an interface in a bi-material. The whole bi-material is divided into two regions along the interface. The traditional displacement boundary integral equations (BIEs) are employed with respect to the exterior boundaries; meanwhile, the non-hypersingular traction BIEs are used with respect to the part of the crack in the matrix. Crack propagation along the interface is numerically modelled by releasing the nodes in the front of the moving crack tip and crack propagation in the matrix is modeled by adding new elements of constant length to the moving crack tip. The dynamic behaviours of the crack deflection/penetration at an interface, propagation in the matrix or along the interface and kinking out off the interface, are controlled by criteria developed from the quasi-static ones. The numerical results of the crack growth trajectory for different inclined interface and bonded strength are computed and compared with the corresponding experimental results. Agreement between numerical and experimental results implies that the present time-domain BEM can provide a simulation for the dynamic propagation and deflection of a crack in a bi-material.