Analytical stress intensity factors and Jk-integrals of periodic and collinear interface cracks between dissimilar orthotropic materials

This paper introduces an analytical expression for the stress intensity factors at the crack tips of a row of periodic and collinear cracks between infinite dissimilar orthotropic materials. The analytical Jk‐integrals of these traction‐free cracks have been presented for different material combinations, ‘crack length’/‘interval width’ ratios (λ) and various in‐plane loading conditions. Some of the analytical Jk‐integrals have been compared with the numerical values computed using the boundary element crack shape sensitivities which are in good agreement. For any in‐plane loading condition of a bimaterial plate with periodic and collinear interface cracks, the normalised J1‐integral is almost independent of λ, but there is a slight variation in the normalised J2‐integral with respect to λ. This is provided that the normalising factor is the strain energy release rate of a homogeneous plate made from one of the materials with the same ratio of λ and subject to the same loading condition.