SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1984
STP32737S

Fracture Toughness of Polymer Concrete Materials Using Various Chevron-Notched Configurations

Source

The fracture toughness of two similar polymer concrete materials was determined using several fracture mechanics configurations to show any influence of crack geometry on resistance to fracture in these materials. The testing configurations included a conventional straight-through notch in a flexure bar and various chevron-notched geometries in both flexure-bar and short-rod specimens. The materials were polymerized mixtures of monomers, anhydrous Type III portland cement, and silica sand. In one composition the monomers were styrene and trimethylolpropane-trimethacrylate; whereas, in the other composition, acrylonitrile was added as well. The fracture toughness was calculated from published stress-intensity coefficients for the straight-through notch which were adapted for use with a chevron notch by assuming that the derivative of the compliance with respect to crack length was the same for both notch types. Effects of varying chevronnotched angle, chevron-vertex position, and width of specimen in the crack plane were examined. Variation of these parameters to produce a wide variation in the width of the crack front shows minor if any influence on the fracture toughness measurements. In contrast, however, the calculated amount of crack extension for all the various specimen configurations indicates a trend of fracture toughness which is consistent with the concept of a rising crack-growth resistance curve for these materials.

Author Information

Krause, RF
Center for Materials Science, National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Md.
Fuller, ER
Center for Materials Science, National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Md.
Price: $25.00
Contact Sales
Related
Reprints and Permissions
Reprints and copyright permissions can be requested through the
Copyright Clearance Center
Details
Developed by Committee: E08
Pages: 309–323
DOI: 10.1520/STP32737S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-4917-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-0401-3