A dynamic model for viscoelastic materials with prescribed growing cracks

Abstract: In this paper we prove the existence of solutions for a class of viscoelastic dynamic systems on time--dependent cracked domains, with possibly degenerate viscosity coefficients. Under stronger regularity assumptions we also show a uniqueness result. Finally, we exhibit an example where the energy--dissipation balance is not satisfied, showing there is an additional dissipation due to the crack growth.