Internal Failures in Model Elastomeric Composites
Abstract
Finite element methods have been used to calculate the rate of release of strain energy caused by growth of an internal crack in some model elastic composites under tension. A layer of a linearly-elastic material was considered, bonded between two flat or two spherical rigid surfaces. The reduction in strain energy caused by a small circular crack at the interface was found to be only about one-half of that due to a similar crack in the center of the layer, in accord with the conjecture of Andrews and King. Cracks in the center of a thin layer bonded between flat surfaces caused about the same release of energy as a crack in the center of a thick specimen under the same tensile stress. On the other hand, a crack in a thin layer bonded between two spherical surfaces caused a much larger rate of energy release, depending on the radius of the layer relative to its minimum thickness. Growth of an initial crack would thus occur at a small applied stress. For thin layers between both flat and spherical surfaces, the rate of release of energy decreased as the crack grew, indicating that the crack would stabilize at a finite size. These conclusions are in accord with some observations of cracks in thin elastic layers. Keywords: Elastomers, Rubber, Failure mechanics. (aw)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA215923
Entities
People
- Alan Neville Gent
- Y. C. Hwang
Organizations
- University of Akron