Extending application of asymmetric semi-circular bend specimen to investigate mixed mode Ⅰ/Ⅱ fracture behavior of granite

The asymmetric semi-circular bend(ASCB)specimen has been proposed to investigate the cracking behavior in different geo and construction materials and attracted the attention of researchers due to its advantages.However,there are few studies on the fracture toughness determination of rock materials.In this work,a series of fracture tests were performed with the ASCB specimens made of granite.The onset of fracture,crack initiation angle and crack propagating trajectory was analyzed in detail combined with several mixed mode fracture criteria.The influence of the crack length on the mode Ⅰ/Ⅱ fracture toughness was studied.A comparison between the fracture toughness ratios predicted by varying criteria and experimental results was conducted.The relationship between experimentally determined crack initiation angles and curves of the generalized maximum tangential stress(GMTS)criterion was obtained.The fracture process of the specimen was recorded with the high-speed camera.The shortcomings of the ASCB specimens for the fracture toughness determination of rock materials were discussed.The results may provide a reference for analysis of mixed mode I and II fracture behavior of brittle materials.

Computational Fracture Analysis of an AFM-Specimen under Mixed Mode Loading Conditions

Fracture processes in ship-building structures are in many cases of a 3-D character. A finite element （FE） model of an all fracture mode （AFM） specimen was built for the study of 3-D mixed mode crack fracture behavior including modes Ⅰ,Ⅱ, and Ⅲ. The stress intensity factors （SIFs） were calculated by the modified virtual crack closure integral （MVCCI） method, and the crack initiation angle assessment was based on a recently developed 3-D fracture criterion--the Richard criterion. It was shown that the FE model of the AFM-specimen is applicable for investigations under general mixed mode loading conditions, and the computational results of crack initiation angles are in agreement with some available experimental findings. Thus, the applicability of the FE model of the AFM-specimen for mixed mode loading conditions and the validity of the Richard criterion can be demonstrated.

Experimental investigation of three-dimensional mixed-mode fracture of a titanium alloy at room and elevated temperatures

Damage tolerance of titanium alloy structures is very important for the safety of modern aircraft under complex loading and environmental conditions. However, there is no available systematic knowledge about the effect of alloy thickness under mixed-mode loading at elevated temperatures. In the present study, a newly developed fracture experimental technique based on high-temperature moiré interferometry was employed to investigate experimentally I-II mixed-mode fracture in titanium alloy TC11 of various thicknesses at room and elevated temperatures. Compact shear specimens with thickness ranging from 1.8 to 7.1 mm were tested. The effects of temperature, thickness, and loading angle on the load capacity and crack initiation angle were investigated systematically. The TC11 alloy was shown to possess varied fracture performance at elevated tem-perature, and an opposite thickness effect at room temperature. Increasing temperature would enhance the fracture load capacity of thick specimens but reduce the fracture load capacity of thin specimens. Crack initiation angles under I-II mixed-mode loading showed the thickness-temperature coupling effects. These complex effects call for new development in three-dimensional mixed-mode fracture theory and technologies for damage tolerance assessment.