Hot cracks in rubber: origin of the giant toughness of rubberlike materials

We study crack propagation in rubberlike materials and show that the nonuniform temperature distribution which occurs in the vicinity of the crack tip has a profound influence on the crack propagation, and may strongly enhance the crack propagation energy G(v) for high crack velocities v. At very low crack-tip velocities, the heat produced at the crack tip can diffuse away, but already at moderate crack-tip velocities a very large temperature increase occurs close to the crack tip resulting in a "hot-crack" propagation regime. The transition between the low-speed regime and the hot-crack regime is very abrupt and may result in unstable crack motion, e.g., stick-slip motion or catastrophic failure.     

Dynamic caustics and its applications

For the study of elastodynamic problems of propagating cracks it is necessary to evaluate the dynamic stress intensity factor K^d_I which depends on the form of expressions for the stress components existing at the running crack tip at any instant of the propagation of the crack and the corresponding dynamic mechanical and optical properties of the material of the specimen under identical loading conditions. In this paper the distortion of the form of the corresponding reflected caustic from the lateral faces of a dynamically loaded transparent and optically inert specimen containing a transverse crack running under constant velocity was studied on the basis of complex potential elasticity theory and the influence of this form on the value of the dynamic stress intensity factor was given. The method was applied to the study of a propagating Mode I crack in a PMMA specimen under various propagation velocities and the corresponding dynamic stress intensity factor K^d_I evaluated. Also, crack propagation behaviour of notched composites in dynamic loading modes are reviewed and evaluated. A relatively large data base using metal-epoxy particulates, rubber-toughened poly(methyl methacrylate), and Sandwich plates are given. In all cases, a combination of high-speed photography and the optical method of dynamic caustics has been used. Results on the dynamic crack propagation mode, fracture toughness and crack propagation velocities of several rubber-modified composite models are presented. The composite models studied include specimens with one and/or two ‘complex’ two-stage inclusions, i.e. PMMA round inclusions surrounded by concentric rubber rings, one and/or press-fifting inclusions without rubber interface, all under dynamic loading. In all cases both qualitative and quantitative results were obtained. Also, results on crack propagation mode, crack propagation velocity, stress intensity factors and on the influence of the sandwich phases on crack propagation mode are presented.     

Cracks in thin sheets: when geometry rules the fracture path

We study the propagation of brittle fractures coupled to large out-of-plane bending, as when a brittle elastic thin sheet is cut by a moving object. Taking into account the separation of the film's bending and stretching energies and using fracture theory we show that such cracks propagate according to a simple set of geometrical rules in the limit of small thickness. In particular, this provides some insight into the geometrical origin of the oscillatory fracture patterns reported in two recent experiments. Numerical integration of our geometrical rules accurately reproduces both the shape of the fracture pattern and the detailed time evolution of the propagation of the crack tip, for various geometries of the cutting object.     

纳观尺度裂纹扩展微观机理的晶体相场法研究

采用晶体相场方法模拟不同预变形量的样品在单轴拉应变作用下的纳观裂纹扩展行为.观察纳观尺度的裂纹演化过程,结果表明：对于无预变形的样品,在拉应变作用下,由于裂口处应变集中,当应变量达到临界值时,裂口开始起裂并伴随位错出现,随着裂尖的前进位错伴随着裂尖而滑移.对于预变形的样品,在较小的临界应变值裂口起裂,且预变形量越大,裂纹越易起裂和扩展.在裂纹扩展早期阶段呈现出扩展-转向-扩展的长大特征,其本质是裂纹扩展由于裂尖附近的位错滑移受阻引起应变集中,造成主次原子晶面方向的原子键交替断裂,使得裂尖扩展沿[√3,1]和[√3,-1]方向交替改变而前进,裂纹边缘呈锯齿形状.样品的裂纹扩展后期出现显著的类似解理裂纹扩展行为,解理方向沿[√3,1]和[√3,-1]方向,且预变形量大的样品裂纹解理扩展更明显且扩展较快.     

基于$lt;i$gt;J$lt;/i$gt;积分的颗粒煤岩单轴压缩下裂纹扩展研究

颗粒煤岩是由众多离散的煤岩颗粒组成的固态多层次多结构物质,具有煤岩与颗粒物质的双重性质,其裂纹扩展规律可以从煤岩力学特性和颗粒物质多尺度特性进行研究. 首先,从能量角度对线弹性材料受压破坏,裂纹扩展产生原因进行了阐述,指出线弹性阶段裂纹的扩展动力源自应变能的释放. 然后,通过物理实验和数值试验从宏观和细观两方面对颗粒煤岩受压破裂过程中裂纹扩展做了进一步研究,结果表明:颗粒煤岩完全破裂后,底部会形成一个锥形堆,裂纹的扩展随着煤岩颗粒粒径的减小而减缓,部分裂纹扩展会出现突变点,且裂纹无光滑性;由于煤岩颗粒粒径等引起介质的非均匀性对裂纹扩展有重要的影响,均质度系数越大裂纹起裂时间越晚,声发射能量释放在裂纹扩展的轻度、中度和深度三个不同阶段逐渐变得频繁、剧烈. 研究结果将有利于进一步研究岩土类颗粒材料受压破裂过程的裂纹扩展规律. 关键词： J积分')" href="#">J积分 颗粒煤岩 单轴压缩 裂纹扩展     

The influence of chain stretching on the phase behavior of multiblock copolymer and comb copolymer melts

The subject of this paper is inspired by microphase-separated copolymer melts in which a small-scale structure is present inside one of the phases of a large-scale structure. Such a situation can arise in a diblock copolymer melt, if one of the blocks of the diblock is in itself a multiblock copolymer or a comb copolymer. Due to the presence of the large-scale structure, the chains are stretched. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of this chain stretching on the formation of the small-scale structure. To gain insight we study infinite melts of infinitely long copolymer chains that are subjected to a stretching force. For melts of monodisperse multiblock copolymers we find that the stretching destabilizes the homogeneous phase. If the stretching is strong, the lamellar structure is the only stable structure. The periodicity increases with the degree of stretching. For melts of monodisperse comb copolymers the chain stretching has no influence on the stability of the homogeneous phase. If the stretching is strong, the lamellar structure and the hexagonal structure are the only stable structures. The periodicity is independent of the degree of stretching. For the multiblock copolymer we investigated the influence of block length polydispersity. For small polydispersity the period of the structure increases monotonically with the degree of stretching. For intermediate polydispersity, the period initially decreases before it starts to increase. For large polydispersity, the mean-field period at the spinodal is infinite, becoming finite once the stretching force exceeds some critical value. For very large polydispersity the mean-field period at the spinodal remains infinite for any value of the stretching force. Received: 14 February 2002 / Accepted: 24 March 2003 / Published online: 29 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: hindrik.angerman@abp.nl     

顶爆和拱腰侧爆同时作用下锚固洞室的动态响应

基于相似模型试验,采用显式非线性动力分析程序LS-DYNA3D研究了地下锚固洞室在拱顶和拱腰侧两处集中装药爆源同时爆炸作用下应力波传播规律、裂纹形成机理以及洞壁围岩位移分布特征。通过对比分析顶爆试验和计算模型的压应力时程曲线,发现模拟与试验结果吻合,且符合应力波的传播规律,表明数值模拟结果可靠。爆源爆炸后,应力波以圆形向周围岩体传播,两应力波相遇处压应力强度明显大于周围岩体;当应力波传到自由面时,会反射形成拉伸波,在地表下方和洞室上方发生“层裂”现象,在拱顶和拱腰侧爆源中间沿洞室径向有裂纹延伸,由于拉伸波的叠加,在爆源下方出现“八”字形的锥形裂纹面。锚杆能够起到加固岩体的作用,锚固洞室比毛洞裂纹分布少,毛洞迎爆侧裂纹主要为横向裂纹,而锚固洞室则为径向劈裂和横向裂纹。两爆源中点洞室径向处的洞壁围岩位移峰值最大,极易产生破坏。     

Temperature dependence of crack propagation in a two-dimensional model quasicrystal

The propagation of cracks in two-dimensional decagonal model quasicrystals is studied under mode I loading by means of molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, we investigate the dependence on temperature, applied load and underlying structure. The samples are endowed with an atomically sharp crack and strained by linear scaling of the displacement field. Three different regimes of propagation and discernible with increasing temperature. For low temperatures the crack velocity increases monotonically with increasing applied load. We observe that the crack follows the path of dislocations nucleated at its tip. For temperatures above 0.3?T _m, where T _m is the melting temperature, the crack does not remain atomically sharp but becomes blunt spontaneously. In the temperature range between 0.7?T _m and 0.8?T _m the quasicrystal fails by nucleation, growth and coalescence of microvoids. This gradual dislocation-free crack extension is caused by plastic deformation which is mediated by localized rearrangements comparable with the so-called shear transformation zones. These are also observed in amorphous solids. Thus, at low temperatures the crack propagates along crystallographic planes just as in periodic crystals, whereas at high temperatures a glass-like behaviour is dominant.     

Directional anisotropy in the cleavage fracture of silicon

Total-energy pseudopotential calculations are used to study the cleavage anisotropy in silicon. It is shown that cracks propagate easily on 111 and 110 planes provided crack propagation proceeds in the <1;10> direction. In contrast, if the crack is driven in a <001> direction on a 110 plane the bond breaking process is discontinuous and associated with pronounced relaxations of the surrounding atoms, which results in a large lattice trapping. The different lattice trapping for different crack propagation directions can explain the experimentally observed cleavage anisotropy in silicon single crystals.     

Effect of amorphous lamella on the crack propagation behavior of crystalline Mg/amorphous Mg–Al nanocomposites

The effects of amorphous lamella on the crack propagation behavior in crystalline/amorphous(C/A) Mg/Mg–Al nanocomposites under tensile loading are investigated using the molecular dynamics simulation method. The sample with an initial crack of orientation(1210) [0001] is considered here. For the nano-monocrystal Mg, the crack growth exhibits brittle cleavage. However, for the C/A Mg/Mg–Al nanocomposites, the ‘double hump' behavior can be observed in all the stress–strain curves regardless of the amorphous lamella thickness. The results indicate that the amorphous lamella plays a critical role in the crack deformation, and it can effectively resist the crack propagation. The above mentioned crack deformation behaviors are also disclosed and analyzed in the present work. The results here provide a strategy for designing the high-performance hexagonal-close-packed metal and alloy materials.     

Dynamical event during slow crack propagation

We address the role of material heterogeneities on the propagation of a slow rupture at laboratory scale. With a high speed camera, we follow an in-plane crack front during its propagation through a transparent heterogeneous Plexiglas block. We obtain two major results. First, the slip along the interface is strongly correlated over scales much larger than the asperity sizes. Second, the dynamics is scale dependent. Locally, mechanical instabilities are triggered during asperity depinning and propagate along the front. The intermittent behavior at the asperity scale is in contrast with the large scale smooth creeping evolution of the average crack position. The dynamics is described on the basis of a Family-Vicsek scaling.     

Strength evaluation of brittle ceramics with surface defects subjected to thermal shock

The thermal shock strength of a ceramic material plate with a semi-elliptical surface crack is evaluated in this paper. The thermal stress distribution at the plate without crack is expressed by a polynomial form. The calculated thermal stresses are used to obtain the thermal stress intensity factors of semi-elliptical surface cracks using the geometric functions. Variations of thermal stress intensity factor with crack depth and time are obtained. For the strength evaluation of the material, crack growth analysis is conducted. In addition, the thermal shock resistance of the ceramic material plate is evaluated by the stress-based failure criterion and the toughness-based failure criterion. The critical temperature at which crack propagation starts is obtained. Applicability of the two failure criteria in thermal shock resistance evaluation of ceramic is identified and the importance of the semi-elliptical surface defects on the thermal shock resistance behaviour of ceramic materials is justified.     

Asymptotic analysis of Bloch-Floquet waves in a thin bi-material strip with a periodic array of finite-length cracks

We present an asymptotic algorithm to solve a problem of wave propagation in a thin bi-material strip with an array of cracks situated at the interface between two materials. For small frequencies we construct an asymptotic solution which takes into account the singular behavior near the crack tips and the smooth nature of the oscillation far away from them. We construct the boundary layer solutions near the crack tips. The boundary layers are harmonic solutions in scaled domains. Dispersion equations are derived and solved within the frame of the asymptotic model.     

Phonon emission induced dynamic fracture phenomena

We use molecular dynamics simulations to calculate the phonon energy emitted during rapid crack propagation in brittle crystals. We show that this energy is different for different crack planes and propagation directions and that it is responsible for various phenomena at several length scales: energetically preferred crack systems and crack deflection at the atomic scale, reduced maximum crack speed with volume at the micrometer scale, and the inability of a crack to attain the theoretical limiting speed at the macroscale. We propose to include the contribution of this energy in the Freund equation of motion of a dynamically propagating crack.     

Dynamic instability in intergranular fracture

A molecular-dynamics model for crack propagation under steady-state conditions is used to study dynamic instabilities along a grain boundary in aluminum that occur when the crack speed approaches 1/3 of the material's Rayleigh wave speed. Instead of crack branching, as is characteristic for a crack propagating in a homogeneous environment, the instability of an intergranular crack results in a periodic series of dislocation bursts. These bursts limit the crack speed and produce velocity oscillations with a large increase in energy dissipation that increases the grain boundary toughness.     

Crack motion in viscoelastic solids: The role of the flash temperature

We present a simple theory of crack propagation in viscoelastic solids. We calculate the energy per unit area, G(v), to propagate a crack, as a function of the crack tip velocity v. Our study includes the non-uniform temperature distribution (flash temperature) in the vicinity of the crack tip, which has a profound influence on G(v). At very low crack tip velocities, the heat produced at the crack tip can diffuse away, resulting in very small temperature increase: in this “low-speed” regime the flash temperature effect is unimportant. However, because of the low heat conductivity of rubber-like materials, already at moderate crack tip velocities a very large temperature increase (of order of 1000 K) can occur close to the crack tip. We show that this will drastically affect the viscoelastic energy dissipation close to the crack tip, resulting in a “hot-crack” propagation regime. The transition between the low-speed regime and the hot-crack regime is very abrupt, which may result in unstable crack motion, e.g. stick-slip motion or catastrophic failure, as observed in some experiments. In addition, the high crack tip temperature may result in significant thermal decomposition within the heated region, resulting in a liquid-like region in the vicinity of the crack tip. This may explain the change in surface morphology (from rough to smooth surfaces) which is observed as the crack tip velocity is increased above the instability threshold.     

Asymptotic analysis of Bloch–Floquet waves in a thin bi-material strip with a periodic array of finite-length cracks

We present an asymptotic algorithm to solve a problem of wave propagation in a thin bi-material strip with an array of cracks situated at the interface between two materials. For small frequencies we construct an asymptotic solution which takes into account the singular behavior near the crack tips and the smooth nature of the oscillation far away from them. We construct the boundary layer solutions near the crack tips. The boundary layers are harmonic solutions in scaled domains. Dispersion equations are derived and solved within the frame of the asymptotic model.     

An extensive 3D dislocation dynamics investigation of stage-I fatigue crack propagation

Stage-I fatigue crack propagation is investigated using 3D discrete dislocation dynamics (DD) simulations. Slip-based propagation mechanisms and the role of the pre-existing slip band on the crack path are emphasized. Stage-I crack growth is found to be compatible with successive decohesion of the persistent slip band/matrix interface rather than a mere effect of plastic irreversibility. Corresponding crack tip slip displacement magnitude and the associated crack growth rate are evaluated quantitatively at various tip distances from the grain boundary. This shows that grain boundaries systematically amplify slip dispersion ahead of the crack tip and consequently, slow down the stage-I crack growth rate. The results help in developing an original crack propagation model, accounting for the boundary effects relevant to polycrystals. The crack growth trend is then evaluated from calculations of the energy changes due to crack length increments. It is shown that the crack necessarily propagates by increments smaller than 10 nm.     

晶体相场法研究应力状态及晶体取向对微裂纹尖端扩展行为的影响

采用晶体相场模拟研究了单向拉伸作用下初始应力状态、晶体取向角度对单晶材料内部微裂纹尖端扩展行为的影响, 以(111)晶面上的预制中心裂纹为研究对象探讨了微裂纹尖端扩展行为的纳观机理, 结果表明: 微裂纹的扩展行为主要发生在<011>(111)滑移系上, 扩展行为与扩展方向与材料所处的初始应力状态及晶体取向紧密相关. 预拉伸应力状态将首先诱发微裂纹尖端生成滑移位错, 进而导致晶面解理而实现微裂纹尖端沿[011]晶向扩展, 扩展到一定程度后由于位错塞积, 应力集中, 使裂纹扩展方向沿另一滑移方向[101], 并形成锯齿形边缘; 预剪切应力状态下, 微裂纹尖端首先在[101]晶向解理扩展, 并诱发位错产生, 形成空洞聚集型长大的二次裂纹, 形成了明显的剪切带; 预偏变形状态下微裂纹尖端则直接以晶面解理形式[101]在上进行扩展, 直至断裂失效; 微裂纹尖端扩展行为随晶体取向不同而不同, 较小的取向角度会在裂纹尖端形成滑移位错, 诱发空位而形成二次裂纹, 而较大的取向角下的裂纹尖端则以直接解理扩展为主, 扩展方向与拉伸方向几近垂直.     

韧性材料的微裂纹扩展与分叉的晶体相场模拟

采用晶体相场方法研究韧性单晶材料在双轴拉伸条件下微裂纹扩展与分叉的演化过程,分析应变、温度、初始裂口形状等因素对裂纹扩展和分叉的影响.结果表明:对于简单的单向拉伸,应变需要达到一定的临界值,裂纹扩展才会启动.对于二组相互垂直的双轴拉伸作用,当应变达到临界值后,裂纹扩展过程中会发生分叉现象.温度越高,裂纹扩展越快且分叉越多.裂纹在扩展过程中,体系能量不断降低,当裂纹出现分叉时,体系能量降低得更快.在裂纹扩展过程中,有时是会在裂尖处前方出现微小的空洞,类似在裂纹尖端前方出现位错发射情况,这些微小的空洞逐渐扩大连成裂纹.本文所得结果与相关模拟结果和实验结果符合.