TEAR-RESISTANCE CURVES IN PURE-SHEAR TEAR SPECIMENS

It is shown that the tear resistance in a pure-shear tear specimen can be determined in terms of G̃ as a function of crack growth using a single specimen. The load-displacement curves of pure-shear tear specimens are analyzed based on the generalized locus method which determines G̃ using a locus line of characteristic points on the load-displacement records of specimens which differ only in initial crack size. Based on this analysis, it is shown that the constant G̃ locus lines on the load-displacement records of pure-shear tear specimens are vertical lines. The tear resistance in a pure-shear tear specimens are vertical determined from a single specimen utilizing these predictable locus lines. The effectiveness of this method is illustrated by determining an R-curve of a pure-shear tear specimen made of a thermoplastic rubber. The R-curve determined in this study for the pure-shear specimen is valid for the given loading configuration. © 1990.