A novel tearing residual strength model for architectural coated fabrics with central crack

Abstract

This study concerns the tearing residual strength models of architectural woven coated fabrics. Firstly, central crack tearing tests were conducted, the evolution of tearing residual strength with the increase of initial crack length is investigated. Secondly, the commonly used tearing residual strength models, including linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) models and stress field models, are summarized and analyzed. Due to their inherent defects in theoretical foundation, the prediction precision is merely determined by curve fitting, no physical meaning can be drawn from these models. Finally, an asymptotic model based on fracture mechanics theory is proposed. The relative size of fracture process zone (FPZ) is adopted to distinguish the transition from strength-controlled fracture to quasi-brittle fracture and finally to toughness-controlled fracture. The prediction results agree very well with the test data, and most of test data lies in nonlinear fracture range which has never been considered.