Subcritical Crack Growth of Glass Under Combined Modes I and II Loading

Abstract

The glass plate specimens with inclined cracks introduced by Vickers microhardness indentation were subjected to sustained bend stress in water. Subcritical crack growth behaviors were investigated under combined Modes I and II loading. The crack velocity dc/dt can be described as a function of coplanar energy release rate G. The experimental results show that the dc/dt which is initially high decreases and thereafter increases with G. The crack velocity data are found to be influenced by the residual stress and the presence of a lateral crack. Inclined cracks in the increasing region tend to show the crack velocity higher than would be expected from the Mode I results of β = 90 deg on the basis of G as the β between the loading axis and the crack plane decreases. The dc/dt-G curves in this region have a steeper portion at low velocities and thereafter tend to a shallower portion.