Fracture of brittle materials: effects of test method and threshold stresson the Weibull modulus

The cumulative probability of failure of a brittle material during loading can be related to the mean number of flaws in the body that are critical, i .e. satisfy some fracture criterion. Here, this approach is related to the more conventional Weibull statistics via Wilshaw's concept of a searched ar ea. A power-lau function for the flaw distribution is assumed and also the existence of a maximum crack sizer and hence a threshold stress. The Weibul l modulus, m, is regarded as a quantity that may vary with stress. It is sh own that m(sigma)= [sigma /N(sigma)][dN(sigma)/d sigma] where sigma is the stress and N(sigma) is the appropriate number of critical flaws. Quantitati ve expressions For m(a) are derived for tension tests, three-point bend tes ts, four-point bend tests and Hertzian indentation. It is shown that these test methods may all give different values for the Weibull modulus even tho ugh the flaw distribution remains the same. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.