Thermal stress intensity factors for an interfacial crack on a cusp-type inclusion

Under a uniform heat flow, thermal stress intensity factors for an interfacial crack on a rigid cusp-type inclusion are determined by Hilbert formulation. The thermal stress intensity factors are expressed as functions of the heat flow angle. The variations of interfacial thermal stress intensity factors for the interfacial crack and the cusp crack with respect to the locations of the interfacial crack are illustrated. In particular, when the tip of the interfacial crack approaches that of the cusp crack, the corresponding thermal stress intensity factors are observed to experience abrupt changes in their magnitudes. Furthermore, the complex potential functions and the thermal stress intensity factors for the cusp-type inclusion without the interfacial crack are derived with the cusp surface boundary conditions insulated or fixed to zero relative temperature.