Scattered-light determination of mode I stress-intensity factors by a fringe gradient independent technique

Integration of the scattered-light stress-optic law and established bending and singular crack-tip relationships yielded new experimental equations for calibration and for the determination of mode I stress-intensity factors which are independent of a stress-fringe gradient. Scattered-light stressoptic coefficients determined from four-point bending tests and an integrated scattered-light bending equation show good agreement with values based on stress-fringe gradients computed with polynomials. Excellent agreement was also shown between mode I stress-intensity factors predicted by the integrated stress-optic equation and analytical solutions available in the literature. Favorable comparisons were also made with predictions based on a polynomial-finite-difference method of determining a stress-fringe gradient. Analyses were limited to flaw geometries and locations where there was minimal rotation of the refraction tensor.     

Measurement of mode I stress-intensity factors by scattered-light photoelasticity

The feasibility of using the scattered-light technique to determine Mode I stress-intensity factors is demonstrated for the case of an edge-cracked beam subjected to pure bending. Photoelastic-fringe data were utilized to obtain an expression for the fringe gradient in the singular region surrounding the crack tip. Mode I stress-intensity factors were then determined by relating the fringe gradient to the local stresses in the singular region and extrapolating these results to the crack tip. Experimental and analytical results showed good agreement and the technique is suggested for application to three-dimensional fracture-mechanics problems.     

Strain-gage methods for measuring the opening-mode stress-intensity factor,K I

Measurements of strain near a crak tip with electrical-resistance strain gages do not usually provide a reliable measure ofK _I because of local yielding, three-dimensional effects and limited regions for strain-gage placement. This paper develops expressions for the strains in a valid region removed from the crack tip, and indicates procedures for locating and orienting the gages to accurately determineK _I from one or more strain-gage readings.     

The determination of mode I stress-intensity factors by holographic interferometry

The use of linear elastic fracture mechanics generally depends upon the availability of suitable analytical or numerical solutions for the relevant crack-tip stress-intensity factor,K. Convenient experimental verification of such solutions is a valuable aid to their correct application and can provide a practical substitute in real design situations of great complexity. A convenient, new experimental technique for estimating the Mode I stress-intensity factor using holographic interferometry and test pieces cut from thin sheets of commercially available polymethylmethacrylate is described and demonstrated. The test pieces can readily be prepared to model any desired Mode I geometry and boundary conditions. In addition, a prior self-calibration procedure can be employed to enhance both convenience and accuracy. Real-time interference-fringe data from the crack-tip region are easily reduced and plotted to yield a straight line whose slope provides a one-parameter evaluation of the effect of geometry on the stress-intensity factor. This information, together with the crack length and applied stress, completely definesK.     

Use of photoelasticity to determine orthotropicK I stress-intensity factor

A new experimental method of obtaining orthotropic stress-intensity factor,K _I , is presented. The orthotropic photoelasticity and orthotropic linear-elastic fracture-mechanics laws are combined. The combined set of equations is used along with half-fringe photoelasticity to determineK _I in a compact-tension specimen made of a transparent unidirectional fiberglass-epoxy material. The results are compared with finite-element-method solutions.     

A critical review of methods for determining stress-intensity factors from isochromatic fringes

Two-parameter methods of fracture analysis for determining the stress-intensity factor from photoelastic isochromatic-fringe data were critically reviewed. The methods of Irwin, Bradley and Kobayashi, and Smith were developed in detail and differences in the three approaches were noted. Theoretical fringe loops were generated for a crack of length 2a in a semi-infinite plate with biaxial loading. These fringe loops were used to compare the three analysis methods and to determine the accuracy of each method. All three methods give a close estimate of the stress-intensity factor, with the Bradley-Kobayashi differencing procedure providing the most precise estimate ofK. However, if measurement errors become excessive (larger than 2 percent) the differencing procedure magnifies these errors and the original method proposed by Irwin is the recommended approach. The two-parameter methods can be employed to determineK to within ±5 percent, provided the angle of tilt of the isochromatic-fringe loop is 73 ≤θ _m < 139 deg. Ifθ _m is outside this range, the two-parameter methods should not be employed.     

Measurement of stress-intensity factor by means of a-c potential drop technique

A loading effect on a-c potential difference measured for two-dimensional stationary surface crack is examined under opening load without shear. An increment of potential difference caused by a load change is revealed to have a proportional relationship with an increment of the stress-intensity factor,K _I. Also, the constant of proportionality of the relationship is found to be independent of the crack length. Based on this relationship, a procedure is developed for measurement ofK _Iby means of the a-c potential drop technique.     

Variation in stress-intensity factor and back-surface displacement for surface cracks

Knowledge of the magnitude and variation in the stress-intensity factor (SIF) around the perimeter of a surface crack is essential for an accurate analysis of a flawed component. SIFs for surface flaws of various semi-elliptical geometries were analytically determined. Three-dimensional linear-elastic finite-element analysis was performed to determine the maximum SIF for bending and tension for each of 12 crack geometries which represent deep surface flaws in finite-thickness plates. Experimental verification of one of the crack geometries was performed. Interferometry techniques were used to determine the actual variation in SIF along the curve crack front due to bending. In addition to the SIF calculations, physical characteristics are noted as observed in the analytical and experimental evaluations.     

Phase-stepped ESPI and moiré interferometry for measuring stress-intensity factor andJ integral

Electronic-speckle-pattern interferometry and moiré interferometry have been used to calculateK ₁ andJ for compact tension specimens. Automated-fringe-pattern analysis enables the full-field of data to be used with the minimum of operator intervention. Measurements are shown to be accurate to within 10 percent. TheJ-measurement procedure employed could form the basis of an automatic-fault detection system.     

A simple technique for determining yield strength of thin films

A technique to measure the yield strength of thin films has been developed which combines experimental observations of deflection and plastic deformation with finite element predictions of stress. This technique relies on integrated circuit technology to build bridge and cross beam test structures with a range of dimensions. Each structure is deflected in increments of 1 μm until the structure no longer elastically recovers upon release. In tandem with experimentally verified numerical predictions of force and stress, the yield strength of the thin film can be bounded between the highest elastic stress result and the lowest plastic stress result. For our test material of copper, this method provides a yield strength between 2.80 and 3.09 GPa, a value significantly larger than that for bulk copper, but consistent with thin film theory.     

Experimental determination of the dynamic stress-intensity factor using caustics and photoelasticity

The methods of photoelasticity and caustics were used in conjunction with high-speed photography to determine the dynamic stress field near a moving crack. The photographs were analyzed to extract information on crack speed and the dynamic stress-intensity factor. The stress-intensity-factor histories obtained from both techniques were compared to determine the reliability of the two techniques.     

Dependence of crack acceleration on the dynamic stress-intensity factor in polymers

The caustics method in combination with high-speed photography was employed to study velocity effect on the dynamic-stress-intensity factor of fast cracks in polymethyl methacrylate and in Araldite D. The specimen geometry was so determined that both the accelerating and decelerating crack propagation occurred noticeably in one fracture event. Instantaneous crack velocity as well as its acceleration were expressed as a function of the crack length by using polynomials of the ninth order which were given on the basis of the least-square method. The results show that the dynamic-stress-intensity factor depends not only on the crack velocity but also on crack acceleration, and that the accelerating crack has a smaller value stress-intensity factor than the decelerating crack at the same velocity.     

Three-dimensional speckle interferometric investigation of the stress-intensity factor along a crack front

The variation in Mode I stress-intensity factor throughout the thickness of an ASTM standard compact tension specimen was determined using scattered-light speckle interferometry. Two very thin sheets of coincident coherent light traveling in opposite directions were passed through a Plexiglas specimen normal to the crack faces. A double-exposed photograph of the scattered-light speckle pattern was taken while the specimen was subjected to a small load increment. From this double-exposed photograph, the change in the crack-opening displacement could be determined. From the information about the crack-opening displacement in the region of the crack tip, the stress-intensity factor was calculated for various interior planes and on the surface of the specimen. For the compact tension specimen tested, the stress-intensity factor did not vary throughout the specimen's thickness. The method of scattered-light speckle interferometry proved to be very powerful in solving this complex three-dimensional problem.     

Photoelastic determination of mixed-mode stress-intensity factorsK I,KII andK III

On the basis of existing photoelastic methods for the determination ofK _I andK _II, this paper presents an experimental method for determiningK _III with photoelastic data, and a photoelastic method for comprehensively determiningK _I,K _II andK _III under the complex stress condition. A frozen three-dimensional photoelastic model is first used to determineK _I andK _II from the slice perpendicular to the flaw edge. Then, from that slice, a sub-slice is taken to determine the factorK _III. This method is examined by comparison with two test models.     

A photoelastic determination of mixed-mode stress-intensity factors

A new evaluation method of the isochromatic-fringe pattern for the determination of mixed-mode stress-intensity factors (SIF) was developed. The method bypasses the error-prone measurements on the isochromatic patterns near to the crack tip and uses data from the far region. Suitable extrapolation laws were given for transferring the far-from-the-crack-tip data to the near region. Then, the well-known Irwin's formulas can be used for the determination of mixed-mode SIFs. Convenient formulas facilitating the calculation of SIFs were established. Experimental evidence corroborated the results obtained by the new method.     

A modified hole-drilling technique for determining residual stresses in thin plates

This paper presents a modified hole-drilling technique for measuring residual stresses in sheet and thin-plate materials. The primary advantage of the modification is that it eliminates the necessity for calibration of each experimental hole-gage assembly. The relaxation coefficients are calculated from theory, and the strain components which are extraneous to the true relaxation strains are determined and separated from the measured relaxation strains. Experiments were conducted on 0.050-in. (1.27-mm) and 0.125-in. (3.175-mm)-thickness aluminum-alloy specimens. Sources of extraneous strain components are analyzed and values for these strain components resulting from machining residual stresses and localized plastic yielding are determined. Finally, the recommended range of the nondimensional ratio of hole diameter to distance between hole center and strain-gage center is determined by the maximum permissible error in residual-stress estimates. The modified technique appears to be accurate within ±5 percent or better and is, therefore, comparable in precision with the X-ray technique.