The potential theory method for a half-plane crack and contact problems of piezoelectric materials

The half-plane crack and contact problems for transversely isotropic piezoelectric materials are exactly analyzed. The potential theory method is employed with the resulting integro-differential (for crack problem) and integral (for contact problem) equations having identical structures with those reported earlier in the literature. Existing results in potential theory are thus utilized to obtain complete solutions of the problems under consideration. In particular, for the half-plane crack, both the permeable and impermeable electric conditions at the crack surfaces are considered. The solutions for the permeable crack and half-plane contact are entirely new to the literature. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.