High-speed fracture studies on bimaterial interfaces using photoelasticity- a review

Dynamic photoelasticity and high-speed photography have been combined to st udy fracture of bimaterial interfaces in the subsonic and intersonic regime s. The response of isochromatic fringes to various interface fracture param eters is investigated. Next, a series of experiments is conducted with spec ially designed specimen geometries under different loading conditions to en compass the whole range of interfacial crack propagation behaviours. The ph otoelastic data obtained from these experiments is carefully analysed to ob tain the crack velocity, complex stress intensity factor, mode mixity and d ynamic energy release rate. Finally a fracture criterion in the subsonic re gime is proposed and validated with the experimental results.