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Analysis of Crack Patterns in Drying Corn Starch by in-situ Radiography and X-ray Computer Tomography

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Abstract

The formation of crack patterns in drying starch-water slurries is studied by means of in-situ radiography (measuring of the crack front velocity) and X-ray microtomography as an example of crack patterns driven by inhomogeneous shrinkage. The tomograms show the 3D crack networks forming columns with polygonal cross-sections. After crack initiation, the average crack spacing increases with growing depth, even if the crack front velocity is constant. A constant velocity is obtained by maintaining a constant evaporation rate using a feedback control. When the crack front has propagated at a constant evaporation rate over a distance of some millimeters, the average crack spacing approaches a stable value which depends on crack front velocity according to a power law. This relationship is compared to corresponding results of other authors and model predictions. The increase of crack spacing before stable values are achieved, is interpreted as a result of successive crack front instabilities.

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Acknowledgements

The funding of this research by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under the contract numbers CR 4/113-2 and BA 1411/10-2 is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Qualitätswesen, Technische Universität Dortmund, Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Str. 20, 44227, Dortmund, Germany

    H.-A. Crostack

  2. Dortmunder Initiative zur rechnerintegrierten Fertigung (RIF) e.V., Abteilung Prüftechnik, Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Str. 20, 44227, Dortmund, Germany

    J. Nellesen & G. Fischer

  3. Institut für Festkörpermechanik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany

    M. Hofmann

  4. Institute of Materials Engineering, Technische Universität Dortmund, 44221, Dortmund, Germany

    H.-G. Rademacher & W. Tillmann

Authors
  1. H.-A. Crostack
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  2. J. Nellesen
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  3. G. Fischer
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  4. M. Hofmann
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  5. H.-G. Rademacher
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  6. W. Tillmann
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Fischer.

Additional information

We thank H.-A. Bahr for helpful suggestions to plan our experiments and for discussion of the results.

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Crostack, HA., Nellesen, J., Fischer, G. et al. Analysis of Crack Patterns in Drying Corn Starch by in-situ Radiography and X-ray Computer Tomography. Exp Mech 52, 917–932 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-011-9581-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-011-9581-1

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