title: Fracture property of Y-shaped cracks of brittle materials under compression.
abstract: In order to investigate the properties of Y-shaped cracks of brittle materials under compression, compression tests by using square cement mortar specimens with Y-shaped crack were conducted. A true triaxial loading device was applied in the tests, and the major principle stresses or the critical stresses were measured. The results show that as the branch angle θ between the branch crack and the stem crack is 75°, the cracked specimen has the lowest strength. In order to explain the test results, numerical models of Y-shaped cracks by using ABAQUS code were established, and the J-integral method was applied in calculating crack tip stress intensity factor (SIF). The results show that when the branch angle θ increases, the SIF K I of the branch crack increases from negative to positive and the absolute value K II of the branch crack first increases, and as θ is 50°, it is the maximum, and then it decreases. Finally, in order to further investigate the stress distribution around Y-shaped cracks, photoelastic tests were conducted, and the test results generally agree with the compressive test results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Mechanics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Mechanics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
authors.forename: Zheming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Mechanics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D019245:Compressive Strength; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013314:Stress, Mechanical