On the use of edge cracked short bend beam specimen for PMMA fracture toughness testing under mixed-mode I/II

In this paper an inclined edge cracked short beam specimen subjected to symmetric three-point bend loading was designed and examined for conducting mixed-mode I/II fracture toughness experiments. The aspect ratio (i.e. length to width ratio) and the loading span distance are considered much lower than the other conventional cracked bend beam samples. Crack tip parameters such as stress intensity factors and T-stress were computed numerically for this specimen by several finite element analyses and it was demonstrated that the specimen is able to produce full combinations of mode I and II including pure mode II. The practical capability of the short bend beam specimen was studied experimentally by conducting a set of mixed-mode fracture tests on PolymethylMethacrylate (PMMA) as a well-known model brittle material. The critical stress intensity factors, the direction of fracture kinking and the path of fracture trajectory were investigated both experimentally and theoretically using two stress and strain-based fracture criteria. The fracture toughness of tested PMMA was decreased by moving towards mode II case due to the effect of T-stress on the fracture mechanism of the short bend beam specimen.     

Dependency of dynamic interlaminar shear strength of composites on test technique used

Studies are presented on dependency of dynamic interlaminar shear (ILS) strength on the experimental technique used for a typical plain weave E-glass/epoxy composite. Dynamic ILS strength was determined based on two experimental techniques, namely torsional split Hopkinson bar (TSHB) apparatus using thin walled tubular specimens and compressive split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus using single lap specimens. The results obtained from these techniques are compared. In general, it is observed that dynamic ILS strength for composites obtained by TSHB testing using thin walled tubular specimens is lower than the dynamic ILS strength obtained using single lap specimens in compressive SHPB. The issues involved in TSHB testing of thin walled tubular specimens made of composites are discussed and the reasons for reduced dynamic ILS strength using thin walled tubular specimens are highlighted. Finite element analysis (FEA) of thin walled tubular specimens made of composite and resin subjected to quasi-static torsional loading is presented. Using FEA results, the reasons for lower ILS strength of composite thin walled tubular specimens are substantiated.     

基于界面端奇异性理论的单纤维拔出试验的试件设计

在单纤维拔出试验中，由于试件的界面端存在应力奇异性，这使试验所得到的界面剪切强度数据失去合理性[1]。但从文献[1]关于微珠脱粘试验研究的结论中可以发现当基体的楔形角小于某临界角度后，微珠试件界面端应力奇异性几乎消失。由此启发我们设计出一种楔形角小于该纤维／基体系统临界角的锥面的拔出试件，这样即可以防止出现传统拔出试件在界面端的强应力奇异性，又可以避免微珠脱粘试验自身的缺陷。界面端具有任意楔形角的轴对称模型被用于分析和确定纤维／基体系统的临界角，对方程进行渐近展开和分离变量处理，根据边界条件可以得到关于特征值λ的特征方程，针对确定的纤维／基体系统可以得到特征值和楔形角的关系曲线，我们把应力奇异性指数等于-0．005时所对应的楔形角定义为临界角，以及根据临界角设计锥面拔出试件的方法。     

陶瓷阻力曲线测定的新方法——断裂栅法

将零厚度单向试件栅刻蚀工艺应用于晶须增韧氮化硅陶瓷基复合材料表面，通过记录试件所在桥路的输出电压值，可得到随载荷不断增大裂纹逐渐向前扩展过程中每一时刻的裂尖位置和裂纹长度，从而得到该种材料的阻力曲线。     

侧槽的拘束作用及对断裂韧性参量的影响

本文研究了侧槽对预制疲劳裂纹Ｃｈａｒｐｙ尺寸试样的拘束效应以及其对断裂韧性参量的影响。当侧槽深度大于临界值时，峰值载荷韧性Ｊｍ值与起裂韧性Ｊ１值基本相等。侧槽对试样的加厚作用可用试样的附加厚度表示，对于同样的侧槽深度，不同材料具有不等的附加厚度，试样取得最大附加厚度的侧槽深度为３３％。文中提出用拘束系数定量地估计侧槽对裂纹尖端的塑性拘束作用，能较好地解解放本试验结果。     

A NEW METHOD TO DETERMINE THE R-CURVE OF CERAMICS-FRACTURE GRATING METHOD

The etching technique of the single-lined zero-thickness specimen grating is applied tothe surface of the SiC fiber toughening Si_3N_4 ceramic composite specimen.The position of the crackand the crack length during the process of crack extension when the load is applied and gradually in-creased can be determined by recording the output voltage value of the Wheatstone bridge in which theceramic specimen with the fracture grating on is located.The crack-growth-resistance(R-curve) of thismaterialis thus obtained.     

Biaxial tensile behavior and strength of architectural fabric membranes

The utilization of composite fabric membrane materials for large-span membrane structures has attracted considerable attention in recent decades due to enhanced material properties. Biaxial mechanical properties with respect to real engineering applications are essential and indispensable in comparison with uniaxial ones. This study focuses on true biaxial characteristics of a typical polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-coated polyester membrane material in terms of stress-strain characteristics and breaking criteria.The true stress-strain curves obtained from an experimental study, i.e. seven loading ratios on the basis of symmetry and typical conditions, are investigated with digital image correlation method. The interpolation of these curves in combination of least square method achieves a three-dimensional strain surface as a function of warp and weft strains, which is useful to assess reasonable structural behavior. A new breaking criteria intended for architectural fabric membrane is proposed in analogy to Tsai-Hill, Yeh-Stratton and Norris failure criteria. The basic constants in the criteria are determined using experimental results. A comparative analysis between available uniaxial and biaxial criteria shows that the new criteria can cover all criteria due to the fact that biaxial mechanical properties are larger than uniaxial ones. Furthermore, a similar but glued specimen is employed to compare welded specimens. It is obtained that observations, values and curve tendency are similar, demonstrating the suitability of using new specimens to identify true biaxial properties.     

Analysis of dynamic stress intensity factors of three-point bend specimen containing crack

A new formula is obtained to calculate dynamic stress intensity factors of the three-point bending specimen containing a single edge crack in this study. Firstly, the weight function for three-point bending specimen containing a single edge crack is derived from a general weight function form and two reference stress intensity factors, the coefficients of the weight function are given. Secondly, the history and distribution of dynamic stresses in uncracked three-point bending specimen are derived based on the vibration theory. Finally, the dynamic stress intensity factors equations for three-pointing specimen with a single edge crack subjected to impact loadings are obtained by the weight function method. The obtained formula is verified by the comparison with the numerical results of the finite element method (FEM). Good agreements have been achieved. The law of dynamic stress intensity factors of the three-point bending specimen under impact loadings varing with crack depths and loading rates is studied.     

Evaluation of hybrid laser-cut and cast miniature fracture specimens

This paper presents a new hybrid laser-cutting method for producing fracture test specimens from thermosetting materials. The hybrid approach combines casting of a sheet of material with subsequent laser-cutting of the test specimens. The new approach was compared to the traditional casting method using a fracture toughness test. For this study, a compact version of the tapered double cantilever beam (cTDCB) was used as a specimen geometry for both manufacturing methods. The cTDCB specimen is crack length independent, and crack length investigations were performed to ensure the crack length independence of the cTDCB specimens. The specimens that were made by the hybrid laser-cut method were found to be comparable to the specimens obtained by the traditional casting method. Moreover, the laser-cut method provides a fast and accurate method to make a significant number of samples in a reasonable time. These tests show that the hybrid laser-cut method could be a good alternative to the traditional casting method.     

Computation of mixed mode stress intensity factors in a four-point bend specimen

Four-point bend specimen is one of the most important specimens of the fracture mechanics because it can produce mixed modes I and II. Therefore, computation of stress intensity factors in this specimen is of practical interest. Several relations have been suggested that no one of them has completely considered the effects of the loading point and crack geometry. In this paper, mixed mode stress intensity factors of the bend specimen are computed by finite element method (FEM) and after validating by comparing with the available results in the literature, the results will be assessed to determine the effects of different crack location and loading distances from the middle of the specimen. Finally, two new coefficients comprising these effects are introduced.