Elastic study on singularities interacting with interfaces using alternating technique Part I. Anisotropic trimaterial

Schwarz-Neumann's alternating technique is applied to singularity problems in an anisotropic 'trimaterial', which denotes an infinite body composed of three dissimilar materials bonded along two parallel interfaces. Linear elastic materials under general plane deformations are assumed, in which the plane of deformation is perpendicular to the two parallel interface planes. It is well known that if the solution is known for singularities in a homogeneous anisotropic medium, the solution for the same singularities in an anisotropic bimaterial can be constructed by the method of analytic continuation. It is shown here that the solution for singularities in a homogeneous medium may also be used as a base of the solution for the same singularities in a trimaterial. The alternating technique is applied to derive the trimaterial solution in a series form, whose convergence is guaranteed. The solution procedure is universal in the sense that no specific information about the singularity is needed. The energetic forces exerted on a dislocation due to interfaces are also evaluated from the trimaterial solution. The trimaterial solution studied here can be applied to a variety of problems, e.g. a bimaterial (including a half-plane problem), a finite thin film on semi-infinite substrate, and a finite strip of thin film, etc. Some examples are presented to verify the usefulness of the obtained solutions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.