Three-dimensional thermo-mechanical fatigue crack growth using BEM

This paper describes the formulation and numerical implementation of an incremental procedure for fatigue crack growth simulation applied to three-dimensional thermoelasticity using the dual boundary element method. The efficiency of the formulation is demonstrated with a number of mixed-mode examples including embedded as well as edge cracks. The results are in accord with the generally accepted behaviour of cracks, and analogies were established with the elastic case under mechanical load.