LAUSR

The virtual crack closure technique makes use of the forces ahead of the crack tip and the displacement jumps on the crack faces directly behind the crack tip to obtain the energy release rates $${{\mathcal {G}}}_I$$GI and $${\mathcal {G}}_{II}$$GII. The method was initially developed for cracks in linear elastic, homogeneous and isotropic material and for four noded elements. The method was extended to eight noded and quarter-point elements, as well as bimaterial cracks. For bimaterial cracks, it was shown that $${\mathcal {G}}_I$$GI and $${\mathcal {G}}_{II}$$GII depend upon the virtual crack extension $$\varDelta a$$Δa. Recently, equations were redeveloped for a crack along an interface between two dissimilar linear elastic, homogeneous and isotropic materials. The stress intensity factors were shown to be independent of $$\varDelta a$$Δa. For a better approximation of the Irwin crack closure integral, use of many small elements as part of the virtual crack extension was suggested. In this investigation, the equations for an interface crack between two dissimilar linear elastic, homogeneous and transversely isotropic materials are derived. Auxiliary parameters are used to prescribe an optimal number of elements to be included in the virtual crack extension. In addition, in previous papers, use of elements smaller than the interpenetration zone were rejected. In this study, it is shown that these elements may, indeed, be used.