Prediction of interfacial debonding between stiff spherical particles and a soft matrix with the coupled criterion

Abstract The tensile load at debonding onset between stiff particles and a soft matrix is predicted with the coupled criterion which combines a stress and an energy conditions. A finite element model of a representative volume element is implemented in order to consider the influence of the size of the particles, the particle volume fraction, mixed mode conditions at the interface and the presence of residual stresses. It is also shown how this approach can be used in order to analyze experimental data for the identification of the interfacial fracture parameters.