Typical Upper Bound-Lower Bound Mixed Mode Fracture Resistance Envelopes for Rock Material

Mixed mode fracture experiments were conducted on Harsin marble using two disc-shape samples namely the Brazilian disc (BD) and the semi-circular bend (SCB) specimens. For each specimen, a complete fracture toughness envelope ranging from pure mode I to pure mode II was obtained. The experimental results indicate that the mixed mode fracture toughness depends on the geometry and loading conditions such that for any similar mode mixture, the BD test data were significantly greater than the SCB fracture toughness results. Therefore, the conventional fracture criteria which present a unique mixed mode fracture curve, fail to predict the test results. It is shown that a generalized criterion, which takes into account the effects of geometry and loading conditions, is able to provide individual fracture curves for theses specimens with very good estimates for the test results obtained from both BD and SCB specimens. The BD and SCB specimens can be suggested as appropriate specimens for obtaining typical upper bound and lower bound envelopes for mixed mode fracture toughness of rocks.