Wide range data for crack tip parameters in two disc-type specimens under mixed mode loading

Disc-type specimens are among favorite test samples for determining mode I and mixed mode fracture toughness in brittle materials like rocks, brittle polymers, ceramics, etc. In this research, the finite element method is used to analyze two disc-type specimens: a semicircular disc specimen containing an edge crack and subjected to three-point-bend loading (SCB specimen), and a centrally cracked circular disc subjected to diametral compressive loading, often called the Brazilian disc specimen. The crack parameters K-I, K-II and T are calculated for different mode mixities from pure mode I to pure mode II. Although the stress intensity factors K-I and K-II are presented mainly for validation of the analyses, they are also used for determining the crack angle corresponding to pure mode II for each specimen. It is shown that in general the T-stress increases for larger crack angles. While the T-stress in the Brazilian disc specimen is always negative for any combinations of mode I and mode II, the sign of T-stress in the SCB specimen depends on the mode mixity. A very good agreement is shown to exist between the calculated results for T and those very limited data presented in other papers. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.