LAUSR

Abstract In this paper, a two-dimensional model to describe the non-planar geometrical features of crack morphologies is presented. The model accounts for frictional tractions along the crack surfaces by considering a rigid-plastic constitutive interface law. Dilatancy effect due to crack roughness is described by the model, leading to a Mode I/II coupling between displacements and tractions along the crack surfaces. The non-linear solution of the rough and frictional crack under general remote loading paths is obtained using the Distributed Dislocation Technique (DDT). By considering a linear piecewise periodic profile of the interface crack, the influence of roughness and friction of an edge crack is examined in relation to both the resulting near-tip stress field and the fracture resistance under monotonic mixed-mode loading. The present model is capable of quantifying the increase of the fracture resistance due to roughness- and friction-induced crack tip shielding.