Abstract
Based on the so-called “shear beam model”, an analytical study is presented on interface failure under the joint action of constant compression and cyclic anti-plane shear. Analytical solutions are presented for the evolution and distributions of shear stress and displacement along the entire length of the shear beam during unloading and reloading processes. Results indicate that, owing to the existing of a damage process zone ahead of the crack tip, both unloading and reloading are inelastic and are accompanied by friction and damage dissipation. Furthermore, “stress locking” will occur if an unloading process can not erase the damage zone left by its neighboring loading process. Analysis of structural response presented at the end of the paper clarifies two different kinds of structural responses: 1) contact plastic shakedown and 2) progressive failure.