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Controlled Precracking of Fracture Mechanics Specimens Using Contact Stresses
Author(s) -
Hashimoto Atsushi,
Kovar Desiderio
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1151-2916.2002.tb00443.x
Subject(s) - materials science , scratch , composite material , fracture toughness , compact tension specimen , fracture mechanics , tension (geology) , cantilever , fracture (geology) , ultimate tensile strength , stress (linguistics) , crack closure , crack growth resistance curve , linguistics , philosophy
A simple method is proposed for introducing precracks into thin‐plate fracture mechanics specimens, i.e., compact‐tension and double‐cantilever‐beam specimens, using standard testing equipment and without performing complicated machining operations on the specimens. The surface of the specimen is first scored to a known length, using a scribe, and the specimen is then compressed between polymer blocks. Mismatch between the elastic properties of the polymer and the specimen results in an in‐plane tensile stress in the vicinity of the scratch that causes a crack to initiate from the scratch and propagate through the specimen thickness. Provided that certain conditions are met, the crack arrests without significant growth beyond the initial scratch length. The result is a straight, through‐thickness precrack of controllable length. Fracture toughness measurements made on glass specimens precracked using the proposed method are in good agreement with literature values for this material.