Numerical investigation on dynamic fracture behavior of cracked rocks under mixed mode I/II loading

Abstract Research on rock fracture behavior is usually limited to static mixed mode I/II fracture and static or dynamic mode I fracture. In this study, the notched semi-circular bend (NSCB) specimens with different notch inclination angles were introduced into the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) system to numerically investigate dynamic mixed mode I/II fracture behavior of cracked rocks. First, the feasibility and reliability of our discrete-element-method-based numerical system to model dynamic fracture behavior of rock were validated; then, the effects of different mixed mode loading conditions and various loading rates on the mixed mode fracture of NSCB specimens were studied. The dynamic mixed mode fracture of the specimens was found to be mainly induced by tensile damages at the micro scale. The results also showed the loading rate dependence of the mixed mode fracture resistance. Moreover, for the same increment of the loading rate, the dynamic mode I fracture toughness increases more than the dynamic mode II fracture toughness. Subsequently, the fracture resistance and fracture initiation angles observed in the modeling were compared with the theoretical predictions based on some brittle fracture criteria. It was demonstrated that a semi-analytical criterion could reproduce well the dynamic mixed mode fracture behavior of rocks.