Abstract
The brittle fracture behaviour of PMMA under mixed mode I/II loading has been investigated using pre-cracked bend bar specimens loaded in antisymmetric and symmetric four point loading. The accuracy of the antisymmetric configuration was verified by a photoelastic investigation, and by comparison with results obtained using other mixed mode load arrangements. The results are used to test and discuss three mixed mode fracture criteria. It is concluded that mixed mode I/II brittle fracture of PMMA at room temperature is described best by a maximum tangential tensile stress criterion based on the linear elastic stress field. This is found to be consistent with the present understanding of the micro-mechanisms involved in fracture of PMMA.
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