Determination of stress intensity factors by the dynamic method of caustics for optically isotropic materials

Abstract

The method of caustics is an optical method for experimental determination of stress intensity factors at crack tips. The paper generalizes the method of caustics to dynamic situations and the dynamic stress intensity factor at the tip of a running crack in an optically isotropic material is determined. Higher order terms of the Westergaard type stress functions are included and their effect on the shape and extension of the highly constrained zone surrounding a crack tip is discussed. Analytical equations for the caustic are presented. For the singular solution it is found that dynamic K-values associated with larger shadow spots are lower than their static counterparts. Higher order terms induce a generalized evaluation formula for the stress intensity factor where powers of the order n + 5/2 (n = 0, ...) of the caustic diameter are present. The effect of superposition of dynamic and higher order term corrections on the K-value is discussed. The dynamic correction implies that the K(c)-characteristic (c ... crack velocity) is to be modified towards lower values of K. This correction is negligible for small and moderate crack velocities justifying the use of static equations for practical purposes. The K-values for crack branching, however, turn out to be smaller than assumed hitherto, a fact which is of particular interest in connection with SEN-type fracture test specimens.