Numerical study and experimental validation of the size effect of smooth and mode I cracked semi-circular bend specimens.

The edge-cracked semi-circular bend (SCB) specimen subjected to three-point bending loading is used in many applications to measure the fracture behavior of quasi-brittle materials. The main objective of the present work was to study the effect of the crack length to SCB specimen radius ratio (a/R), span to specimen diameter ratio (S/D), and specimen size on its flexural and mode I crack growth behavior. The contour integral method was implemented using the 3-D finite element method to determine the mode I stress intensity factor.

An Assessment of ASTM E1922 for Measuring the Translaminar Fracture Toughness of Laminated Polymer Matrix Composite Materials.

The main objective of this work is to predict the exact value of the fracture toughness () of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP). The drawback of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) E1922 specimen is the lack of intact fibers behind the crack-tip as in the real case, i.e.