EXTRACTION OF FRACTURE-MECHANICS PARAMETERS FROM STEADY-STATE DYNAMICCRACK-TIP FIELDS

A procedure for determining the fracture mechanics parameters of inter est from full-field optical mechanics data is presented. Examples are presented for crack-tip stress fields recorded using dynamic photoelas ticity. Stress-field representations in series form, when combined wit h local collocation procedures, are shown to be a powerful tool for re liable and accurate parameter determination. The methodology is illust rated and applied to two cases of dynamic crack propagation, one perta ining to opening-mode crack propagation and the other to a smoothly cu rving crack. Emphasis has been placed on giving guidance to a user on how best to approach implementation of the methodology from a practica l standpoint.