Comprehensive data for rapid calculation of notch stress intensity factors in U-notched Brazilian disc specimen under tensile-shear loading

Stress distribution was analyzed around the tip of U-notches in a disc-type test sample, called U-notched Brazilian disc (UNBD), under combined tensile-shear loading. The notch stress intensity factors (NSIFs) which are vital parameters in brittle fracture investigation of U-notched engineering components were computed for UNBD specimen utilizing the finite element (FE) method for different notch geometries and wide range of mode mixities from pure mode I to pure mode II. To simplify the results to be used in engineering design, the NSIFs were converted to the dimensionless parameters called the notch shape factors (NSFs). These parameters are useful to compute more rapidly and conveniently the NSIFs in UNBD specimen for different notch tip radii. As a main result, it is shown that the NSFs presented in this work combined with the appropriate fracture criteria can be used to predict the load-cell capacity of the test machine required for fracture test of UNBD specimens made of various brittle materials. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.