Experimental Analysis of the Damage Zone around Crack Tip for Rubberlike Materials under Mode-I Fracture Condition

Abstract

Studying the deformation and fracture properties of soft materials can not only provide insight into the physical mechanisms underlying their superior properties and functions but also benefit the design and fabrication of rubberlike materials. In this paper, an application of the experimental digital moire method to determine the damage zone around crack tip for rubberlike material is presented. The measurement principles and the basic procedures of the method are explained in detail. The deformation of crack tip fields in the damage zones is analyzed using the sector division mode. Finally, an analysis of the damage zone is proposed to describe crack-tip fields in rubber-like materials with large deformation.