Dynamic Fracture in Viscoelastic Solids.
Abstract
Dynamic crack propagation in viscoelastic media is studied experimentally with a polyester known as Homalite 100 and a polyurethane known as Solithane 113 at various temperatures. Employing the optical method of caustics, high speed photography is used to determine the variation of the stress intensity factor and the velocity of a running crack initiated and driven by the dynamic step loading on the faces of an initial semi-infinite track in an infinite medium. The loading condition is simulated experimentally with the technique introduced by Smith and Knauss. In this work an application of the method of caustics is extended for the determination of the time dependent stress intensity factor of a running crack in a viscoelastic material. Also, the viscoelastic effects on the initiation of a running crack, the variation of the stress intensity factor, the speed of the crack and the branching of the running crack are discussed. In addition, a mechanism of branching is proposed based on the study of the fracture surfaces. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 02, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA104687
Entities
People
- Ki‐Seok Kim
- Wolfgang G. Knauss
Organizations
- California Institute of Technology