Mode I, quasi-static, steady state crack growth is analyzed for rate dependent materials under plane strain conditions in small scale yielding. The solid is characterized by an elastic-viscoplastic constitutive law and the plane ahead of the crack tip is embedded with a rate dependent fracture process zone. The macroscopic work of fracture of the material is computed as a function of the crack ...

[1] Sandpile avalanches were used first to illustrate the concept of self-organized criticality (SOC). Snow avalanches consist of two types: (1) loose snow avalanches which release in cohesionless material at the top of the snowpack and (2) slab avalanches which release by propagation of shear fractures originating in a thin weak layer at depth in the snowpack. Loose snow avalanches are analogo...

A sound knowledge of mechanical properties of rocks at high temperatures and pressures is essential for modelling volcanological problems such as fracture of lava flows and dike emplacement. In particular, fracture toughness is a scale invariant material property of a rock that describes its resistance to tensile failure. A new fracture mechanics apparatus has been constructed enabling fracture...

This article presents the investigative work conducted on the fracture toughness and microstructure of Al6061-9% graphite particulate composites. The requisite specimens for the fracture toughness testing were compact tension ones prepared using stir casting technique. The Al6061-9% graphite particulate metal matrix composite has been heat treated in the underaged condition. It is observed from...

The effect of prepolymerized particle fillers on fracture toughness of four commercial composite resins was studied. The ground surface morphology was examined with a field emission scanning electron microscope. Fracture toughness was determined by using single edge notched specimens. Acoustic Emission (AE), which is the elastic wave due to the release of energy from the localized sources of ma...

Abstract In this study, mode I fracture tests on cracked straight-through Brazilian disc (CSTBD) and notched semi-circular bend (NSCB) shale specimens with different sizes were conducted to investigate the difference between maximum tangential stress criterion size effect law (SEL) model in predicting apparent toughness ( K a ) of shale. addition, effects specimen geometry selection prediction ...

1359-835X/$ see front matter 2008 Elsevier Ltd. A doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2008.03.011 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 617 252 1539. E-mail address: [email protected] (B.L. Wardle). An interlaminar reinforcement using aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is demonstrated for prepreg unidirectional carbon tape composites. Aligned CNTs are grown at high temperature and then transferprinted to prepreg at...