Affiliation:
1. Liaoning Shihua University
2. University of Western Australia
Abstract
An energy-based fracture mode has been derived for the mode I crack kinking and branching. The classic -integral has been further explored by a new partial integral path and the analytical solution of the energy release rate for crack kinking and branching from a mode-I crack tip has been established. The crack kinking/branching angle has also been analytically derived. It shows that the Griffith’s theorem and conservation law can be applied to both model I crack extension and model I crack kinking and branching. The branching mechanism for quasi-static mode-I crack has been theoretically investigated. The branching toughness and the K-based criterion for crack branching have been defined. The crack branching phenomena predicted by the present model are in well agreement with the experimental observations reported in the literatures.
Publisher
Trans Tech Publications, Ltd.