Abstract
Observations and characterization of brittle fracture initiation in a micro-heterogeneous material (sandstone) are conducted using the standard indirect tensile strength test. Acoustic emissions, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are employed for monitoring and characterizing the discrete micro-mechanical events preceding macroscopical fracture. The observations suggest that brittle fracture initiation is the end result of a microscopic damage accumulation process. A simple statistical model of micro damage accumulation leading to brittle fracture in a micro-heterogeneous material is also proposed. The model is calibrated by matching the coefficient of variation of measured ultimate stress with that resulting from the proposed model.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ASTM (1989). Annual Book of Standards: Standard test method for splitting tensile strength of intact rock core specimens (designation D 4645-87). American Society for Testing and Materials, 4, 851-6.
Atkinson, B. K. & Meredith, P. G. (1987). Experimental Fracture Mechanics Data for Rocks and Minerals. Fracture Mechanics of Rock (ed. Atkinson, B. K.). Academic Press, London, 477-525.
Berdichevsky V., Khanh L. (2005) On the microcrack nucleation in brittle solids. Int. J. of Fracture 133: 47–54
Born M. (1939) Thermodynamics of crystals and melting. J. Chem. Phys. 7: 591–603
Born M. (1940) On the stability of crystal lattices. Proc. Cambr. Philos. Soc. 36: 160–172
Buchel A., Sethna J.P. (1996) Elastic Theory has Zero Radius of Convergence. Phys.Rev.Lett. 77: 1520–1523
Chen C., Pan E., Amadei B. (1998) Determination of Deformability and Tensile Strength of Anisotropic Rock Using Brazilian Tests. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 35: 43–61
Curtin W.A. (1998) Size Scaling of Strength in Heterogeneous Materials. Phys.Rev.Lett. 80: 1445–1448
Dudley, J.W., Shlyapobersky, J., Chudnovsky, A., Glaser, S. (1997), “Laboratory Investigation of Fracture Processes in Hydraulic Fracturing,” Annual Report, Gas Research Institute Report GRI-97/0300, Shell E&P Technology Co., Houston, November.
Glenn L.A., Chudnovsky A (1986) Strain-Energy Effects on Dynamic Fragmentation,. J. of Appl. Phys 59: 1379–1380
Golubovic L., Feng S. (1991) Rate of Microcrack nucleation. Phys. Rev. A, 43: 5223–5227
Hashida T., Takahashi H. (1993) Significance of AE Crack Monitoring in Fracture Toughness Evaluation and Nonlinear Rock Fracture Mechanics. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. & Geomech. Abstr. 30: 47–60
Hoagland R.G., Hahn G.T., Rosefield A.R. (1975) Influence of Microstructure on Fracture Propagation in Rock. Rock Mech. 5: 77–106
Ising, E. (1925). Beitrag zur Theory des Ferromagnetismus. Z. Phys. (in German) 31, 253-258.
ISRM (1978). Suggested methods for determining tensile strength of rock materials, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min, Sci. & Geomech. Abstr. 15, 99-103.
Kanuan S, Chudnovsky A. (1999) A Model of Quasibrittle Fracture of Solids. Int. J. of Dam. Mech. 8: 19–40
Kachanov L.M. (1958) On Creep Rapture Time. Proc. Acad. Sci., USSR, Div. Eng. Sci. 8: 26–31
Schicker J., Pfuff M. (2006) Statistical Modeling of Fracture in Quasi-Brittle Materials. Adv. Eng. Mater. 8: 406–410
Suzuki M., Abe H., Takanashi H., Tamakawa K., Kikuchi M. (1980) Acoustic Emission Characteristics and Fracture Toughness of Sandstone. Technol. Rep. Tohoku Univ. 45: 239–272
Tetsuya K., Hisashi A., Akira M., Yukinori M. (2005) Effect of Specimen Size and Rock Properties on the Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Ryukyu Limestone. J. Japan Soc. of Eng. Geology 46: 2–8
Weibull W.A. (1951) A Statistical Distribution Function of Wide Applicability. J. Appl. Mech. 18: 293–297
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jasarevic, H., Chudnovsky, A., Dudley, J. et al. Observation and Modeling of Brittle Fracture Initiation in a Micro-Heterogeneous Material. Int J Fract 158, 73–80 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-009-9365-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-009-9365-0