Abstract
For wedge splitting test specimens, the stress and displacement fields both in the vicinity and also in larger distance from the crack tip are investigated by means of numerical methods. Several variants of boundary conditions were modeled. The stress intensity factor K, T-stress and even higher-order terms of William series were determined and subsequently utilized for analytical approximation of the stress field. A good fit between the analytical and numerical solution in dependence on the distance from the crack tip was shown, compared and discussed. Presented approach is considered as suitable for estimation of the fracture process zone extent in silicate composite materials.
Highlights
The research of the author’s collective is focused on estimation of the size, shape and other relevant properties of the zone with nonlinear material behaviour evolving at the tip of a propagating crack in composite materials with disordered internal structure, those with quasi-brittle nature which exhibit strain softening
This paper is focused on investigation of differences in crack tip stress state caused by changes in the test geometry resulting in differences in the shape and size of the fracture process zone (FPZ)
Multi-parameter fracture mechanics is employed as the size proportions of the FPZ in relation to the whole specimen is much larger in the case of the studied quasi-brittle composites than that of e.g. plastic zone in metals
Summary
The research of the author’s collective is focused on estimation of the size, shape and other relevant properties of the zone with nonlinear material behaviour evolving at the tip of a propagating crack in composite materials with disordered internal structure, those with quasi-brittle nature which exhibit strain softening. Characteristics of the zone, in the case of the materials in question referred to as the fracture process zone (FPZ), are intended to be utilized within methods for evaluation of fracture mechanical parameters in order to diminish the effects of the test specimen’s size, geometry and free boundaries on their values, mainly the fracture energy, determined from records of tests on laboratory-sized specimens. This topic is intensively researched in last decades [1,2,3,4,5,6]. With respect to the mentioned references they can be written as
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
