Quasi-brittle fracture diagram of structured bodies in the presence of edge cracks

The Neuber–Novozhilov approach is used to obtain necessary and sufficient fracture criteria. Using a modified Leonov–Panasyuk–Dugdale model, simple relations for the critical fracture parameters are derived for opening mode edge cracks for the case where the diameter of the prefracture zone coincides with the diameter of the plasticity zone. These relations are suitable for studying fracture where the crack length is negligibly small. A fracture diagram using critical stresses under both criteria is proposed for a wide range of crack length. At a certain level of loading, three regions are identified, in the first of which the crack is stable, in the second, the crack extends but remains stable, and in the third, the crack is unstable. Experimental data on the fracture of specimens with edge cracks are obtained. It is established that the theoretical critical fracture curves are in good agreement with the obtained critical parameters for flat tensile specimens with two collinear edge cracks.