Modeling slip zones with triangular dislocation elements

We derive in algebraic form the displacement and stress fields produced by a triangular element of constant slip by superposing the solution of Comninou and Dundurs (1975) for an angular dislocation in an elastic half-space. As an example, triangular elements are used to determine the distribution of slip on a planar surface caused by a prescribed stress drop. The results using uniform slip elements are compared with those from the more elaborate procedure of Wu et al. (1991) that takes proper account of stress singularity at the edge of the slipping zone. The comparison indicates that, for a prescribed uniform stress drop, the uniform slip model slightly overestimates the free surface displacements. -from Authors