Interface fracture properties of a bimaterial ceramic composite

In this investigation, the interface fracture toughness is measured for a pair of ceramic clays which are joined together. The Brazilian disk specimen, which provides a wide range of mode mixity, is employed to measure these properties. Calibration equations relating the stress intensity factors to the applied load and geometry are determined by means of the finite element method and the M-integral. The effect of residual stresses is accounted for by employing a weight function to obtain the contribution to the stress intensity factors. Total stress intensity factors are obtained by superposition. These are employed to determine the critical interface energy release rate Bi, as a function of mode mixity from critical data obtained from tests carried out on the Brazilian disk specimens. An energy release rate fracture criterion is compared to the experimental results for G(ie). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.