LAUSR

Multilayer thin-film thermoelectric materials are of technological importance. This paper describes a method to analyze the heat conduction in a multilayered thermoelectric plate containing some non-collinear cracks. The material properties in one layer may be different from those in another even though each layer may still be homogeneous. Using the Fourier integral transforms, the boundary value problem is reduced to a system of general singular integral equations. The model is sufficiently general to account for any number of layers and any number of cracks. As a numerical illustration, the electric flux intensity factor, energy flux intensity factor and thermal flux intensity factor for a three-layer plate specimen with two cracks are presented. The effects of strip width on the electric flux intensity factor and thermal flux intensity factor are studied.