Experimental evaluation of the plastic zone at crack tip by caustics

摘要

The study of this paper was to determine the plastic zone dimension at the crack tip by the experimental method of caustics. The caustics shape at the crack tip depends on plastic zone which is small for brittle materials and large for ductile ones. The plastic zone dimensions depends on the crack length, the plates thickness and the loading level. The experimental method of caustics is an excellent tool for the plasticity and stress intensity factors evaluation of loaded cracked structures. © Badalouka and Papadopoulos.