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A new method to compute size independent fracture toughness values for brittle materials

✍ Scribed by K.D. Basham; K.P. Chong; A.P. Boresi


Publisher
Elsevier Science
Year
1993
Tongue
English
Weight
609 KB
Volume
46
Category
Article
ISSN
0013-7944

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✦ Synopsis


Abatraet-Generally, linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) is inadequate for fracture toughness (&.) characterizations of brittle or quasi-brittle materials such as ceramics, concretes, and rocks, because large process xones exist. In order to obtain a valid, size independent Xr, value (or to satisfy the small scale yielding criterion), huge specimen sizes are required. For this reason, a testing method based on the nonlinear tension-softening behavior has been proposed.

A new computational scheme for determining size independent fracture toughness of brittle materials is presented in detail. This scheme is direct, accurate and it eliminates several numerical steps (including curve fitting and taking derivatives of fitted curves) and the associated errors from the original experimental technique. All theoretical concepts and the experiment& technique of this new and more efhcient method of deducing the tension-softening curve for brittle and quasi-brittle materials are presented. Results and comparisons of a fracture toughness investigation of sandstone and basalt using both tension-softening and LEFM concepts are also presented.