Fracture analysis of a surface-coated ceramic by speckle photography and finite elements

Published in Optics & Laser Technology Vol. 22 (1), pp. 17-22, 1990
doi: 10.1016/0030-3992(90)90007-Q

Abstract

The fracture behaviour of a four-point bend surface-coated ceramic specimen with a through-the-thickness crack was experimentally investigated. Speckle photography was used to measure opening displacements over the specimen surface and across the crack line. For a glazed and unglazed specimen, stress-intensity factors were experimentally determined by means of a method that uses data not restricted to the singularity-dominated zone. Stress-intensity factors were numerically calculated using a three-dimensional finite element analysis and their variations along the crack front were also evaluated. Experimental results agree reasonably well with the numerical results. Results show the influence of the glaze on the fracture behaviour of the composite material.