Author(s)

R.A. Collinsi & D.J. Cartwright

Abstract

The theoretical basis for the boundary collocation method is formally ex- tended to the problem of multiple collinear cracks in the presence of finite boundaries. The technique is then applied to the generation of new stress intensity factor solutions for two unstiffened sheet configurations. 1 Introduction The problem of Widespread Fatigue Damage (WFD) has received consider- able attention over the past decade, in view of the importance of the issue to the continued safe operation of the ageing commercial transport aircraft fleet. The majority of these investigations have centred on a specific source of WFD known as Multiple Site Damage (MSD), in which the simultaneous presence of multiple interacting cracks in the same structural element may degrade the residual st

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