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Crack penetration and deflection at a bimaterial interface in a four-point bend test

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Abstract

The four-point bend (4PB) test is an industry standard in assessment of adhesion in thin films. Obtauning crack propagation along the desired interface plays a cardinal role in the success of this test. Crack penetration and deflection at a bimaterial interface has been extensively studied in the past. Most generalresults are based on asymptotic analyses involving the interface between two semi-infinite media. Theresults of these analyses cannot be directly used in case of the 4PB test since the boundary conditions and finite size effects in actual test specimen geometry are not accounted for. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first to develop a simple methodology to understand the preferred faulure mode in a 4PB test and gaun insight into the factors governing its success; second to examine the extent to which theresults can bereconciled with those reported previously based on analysis of a crack in two semi-infinite media bonded together at the interface.

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Roham, S., Hardikar, K. & Woytowitz, P. Crack penetration and deflection at a bimaterial interface in a four-point bend test. Journal of Materials Research 19, 3019–3027 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2004.0376

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2004.0376

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