Deflection versus penetration of a wedge-loaded crack: effects of branch-crack length and penetrated-layer width

摘要

A crack intersecting an interface between two dissimilar material layers may advance by either deflecting along or penetrating through the interface. The criterion of deflection versus penetration can be established by the comparison of two ratios, the energy release rate ratio and the fracture energy ratio, of deflection to penetration. The effects of: (l) a finite length of the branch crack emanating from the main crack tip; and (2) a finite width of the layer subjected to crack penetration were examined in the present study. The results reveal that the above two factors have profound effects on the criterion of deflection versus penetration for a wedge-loaded crack.