Fracture mechanics

Loading configuration
Obreimoff: stable equilibrium
No failure

Griffith: unstable equilibrium

Failure only for uniform tension

Irwins generalization of the Griffith concept: Fracture mechanics

Approach whereby the crack is idealized as a mathematically flat and narrow slit contained within a linear elastic medium Analyse the stress field around a crack Macroscopic strength is determined from:
intrinsic strength of the material applied stresses crack tip stresses

We need to characterize the driving force for fracture:

Stress Intensity Factor, K (units: Pa m0.5) Crack extension force, G (units: J m-2)

Crack displacement modes:

Mode I Mode II Mode III

Opening mode fracture In plane shear fracture Antiplane shear fracture

Irwins crack tip solutions

Defines the shape of the stress field surrounding the crack tip Polar or cartesian coordinates

Stress intensity factor, K

The stress surrounding a crack is proportional to one over the square root of the distance, r from the crack, hence

1 / 2

The constant of proportionality is the stress intensity factor, K

= Kr

1 / 2

Stress intensity factor, K

Depends on fracture displacement mode (I, II or III) and crack geometry
yy yz yx

K I = yy c K II = yx c K III = yz c
2c
y z x

Geometry term,

K I = yy c K II = yx c K III = yz c

2c

2c

Straight crack =1

Penny-shaped crack = 2/

 Irwins crack tip solutions give the shape of the stress field Stress intensity factor gives the magnitude of the stress field

Critical stress intensity factor (or fracture toughness), Kc

Where the stress intensity factor reaches the energy equilibrium - unstable propagation of the crack

Critical stress intensity factor, Kc

There is a Kc for each displacement mode:
KIc KIIc KIIIc

Units of Kc are stress x crack length, MPa m0.5

Typical values for KIc

~0.7 MPa m0.5 for glass ~1.0 MPa m0.5 for marble ~1.5 MPa m0.5 for granite ~2.5 MPa m0.5 for basic rocks ~3.5 MPa m0.5 for eclogite ~140 MPa m0.5 for mild steel

Crack extension force, G

Energy per unit area at the crack tip G is related to the stress intensity factor, K by:

KI GI = E

(for plane stress and mode I fractures only)

dU m G= dC

G can be related to specific surface energy

Problems with the fracture mechanics approach

Crack tip processes lower the crack extension force:
distributed cracking plastic flow

The crack behind the tip is assumed to be cohesionless

ok for mode I fractures problematic for mode II and III

Measuring KIc
Chevron notch method -recommended by ISRM

Easy to prepare Crack growth initially stable Critical crack length is constant no crack length measurements needed

Measuring KIc

Double torsion test

Hertzian fracture test