The wave equation on domains with cracks growing on a prescribed path: existence, uniqueness, and continuous dependence on the data

Given a bounded open set $\Omega \subset \re^d$ with Lipschitz boundary and an increasing family $\Gamma_t$, $t\in [0,T]$, of closed subsets of $\Omega$, we analyze the scalar wave equation $\ddot{u} - \div (A \nabla u) = f$ in the time varying cracked domains $\Omega\setminus \Gamma_t$. Here we assume that the sets $\Gamma_t$ are contained into a \textit{prescribed} $(d-1)$-manifold of class $C^2$. Our approach relies on a change of variables: recasting the problem on the reference configuration $\Omega\setminus \Gamma_0$, we are led to consider a hyperbolic problem of the form $\ddot{v} - \div (B \nabla v) + a \cdot \nabla v - 2 b \cdot \nabla \dot{v} = g$ in $\Omega \setminus \Gamma_0$. Under suitable assumptions on the regularity of the change of variables that transforms $\Omega\setminus \Gamma_t$ into $\Omega\setminus \Gamma_0$, we prove existence and uniqueness of weak solutions for both formulations. Moreover, we provide an energy equality, which gives, as a by-product, the continuous dependence of the solutions with respect to the cracks.