Study on dynamic fracture behavior of mode I crack under blasting loads

Abstract Dynamic fracture behavior under impacting loads has been well studied, but for that under blasting loads, less attention has been paid. In order to investigate mode I crack propagation behavior of brittle materials under blasting, a new configuration specimen, i.e. single internal crack circular disc (SICCD) specimen was proposed in this paper, and it was applied in the blasting experiments. Crack propagation gauges (CPGs) were stuck along crack propagation paths to measure crack initiation and propagation time and crack propagation speeds. Green sandstone and PMMA were selected to make the SICCD specimens. Finite difference models were established by using AUTODYN code according to the SICCD specimen dimension and the loading curve measured near the borehole. Generally, the simulation results of crack propagation paths agree with the test results. Finite element code ABAQUS was applied in the calculation of dynamic stress intensity factors (SIFs), and the curves of dynamic SIFs versus time were obtained. By using these curves and the breaking time of the CPG wires, the mode I critical dynamic SIFs in initiation and in propagation were obtained. The results show that the measuring method of the critical dynamic SIFs of brittle materials under blasting presented in this paper is feasible and applicable. During crack propagations, the crack speed is not a constant, and the critical dynamic SIFs in propagation decreases with the increase of crack propagation speeds.