Experimental method of dynamic caustics and its application in fracture mechanics

The equation of static and dynamic caustics, and the formulae determining the position of crack tip and stress intensity factor are given. It is proven that for the case of low speed of crack propagation the static formula is applicable in calculation. A simple method to measure the static stress-optical constants is proposed. An Optical system which is suitable for the experiments of dynamic caustics was set-up and used to study the fracture in beam and rings with initial crack under impact loading. A series of dynamic caustics' photographs and curves showing the variations of corresponding crack lengths and dynamic stress intensity factors with time, are presented.