Mathematical and numerical simulation of equilibrium of an elastic body reinforced by a thin elastic inclusion

A boundary value problem describing the equilibrium of a two-dimensional linear elastic body with a thin rectilinear elastic inclusion and possible delamination is considered. The stress and strain state of the inclusion is described using the equations of the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. Delamination means the existence of a crack between the inclusion and the elastic matrix. Nonlinear boundary conditions preventing crack face interpenetration are imposed on the crack faces. As a result, problem with an unknown contact domain is obtained. The problem is solved numerically by applying an iterative algorithm based on the domain decomposition method and an Uzawa-type algorithm for solving variational inequalities. Numerical results illustrating the efficiency of the proposed algorithm are presented.