A review is presented of the experimental data on subcritical crack growth in geological materials. The main parameters describing subcritical crack growth are the critical stress intensity factor Kc, the subcritical crack growth limit Ko, and the stress intensity factor-crack velocity (K-v) relationship between Ko and Kc. The K-v data are presented in terms of an equation in which the crack velocity depends on stress intensity factor raised to a power n because this is common practice in experimental studies. These data are presented as tables and in synoptic diagrams. For silicates the value of n increases as the environment becomes depleted in hyroxyl species and with increase in the microstructural complexity of the solid. Values of n as low as 9.5 have been found for tensile cracking of quartz in basic environments and as high as 170 for tensile cracking of basalt in moist air. Insufficient experimental data are available to predict subcritical crack growth behavior at depth in the earth's crust without major extrapolations of the data base. Schematic outlines are presented, therefore, of the probable influence on subcritical crack growth of some key parameters in the crustal environment. These include stress intensity factor, temperature, pressure, activity of corrosive environmental agent, microstructure, and residual strains. In addition, a discussion is presented of the likely magnitude of the subcritical crack growth limit. For stress corrosion tensile crack growth of quartz a limit of approximately 0.2 of the critical stress intensity factor is inferred from theoretical calculations. Further problems discussed with regard to the extrapolation of experimental data to crustal conditions include the choice of a suitable equation to describe crack growth and the magnitude of parameters in these equations. A brief discussion of the double torsion testing method is presented in order to aid the interpretation of experimental results because it is almost the sole method used to study subcritical cracking in rocks.

Subcritical crack growth in geological materials

Optimization Techniques with FORTRAN

Epoxy nanocomposites ¿ fracture and toughening mechanisms

The effect of surface grinding and sandblasting on flexural strength and reliability of Y-TZP zirconia ceramic.

The processes of passive oxidation, deposit-induced corrosion, active oxidation, scale/substance interactions, and scale volatility are presently studied in the case of high-purity SiC and Si3N4 in pure oxygen, giving attention to such secondary elements in the ceramics as water and CO2 oxidants, combustion environment impurities, and thermal cycling. Deposit-induced corrosion is discussed for the cases of NaSO4 as well as vanadate and oxide-slag deposits; issues associated with the active-to-passive oxidation transition are noted.

/pdf/corrosion-of-silicon-based-ceramics-in-combustion-2993joj3ia.pdf

Corrosion of Silicon-Based Ceramics in Combustion Environments

Predicting lifetimes of materials and material structures

Fatigue of silicate glasses was studied using both static and dynamic tests. Static fatigue data for acid-etched soda-lime silicate glass determined at 74°F in 50 and 100% rh can be represented by a single universal fatigue curve (UFC). The UFC for acid-etched glass does not lie on the UFC of Mould and Southwick, which was determined for abraded soda-lime silicate glass; the acid-etched glass was less susceptible to static fatigue. The susceptibility of acid-etched soda-lime silicate glass to static fatigue differed little from that of pristine E-glass and fused SiO2 fibers. Dynamic fatigue data for soda-lime, E, borosilicate, and fused quartz glasses agreed well qualitatively and quantitatively with fundamental crack velocity data for these glasses; the dynamic fatigue theory of Charles was used in the comparison. The theoretical implications of these results are discussed.

Dynamic and Static Fatigue of Silicate Glasses

The microindentation technique was used to determine the interfacial fracture energy of epoxy coatings on soda‐lime glass substrates. An analytical model was developed for calculating fracture energy based on indenter load versus debond crack size measurements. Finite‐element analysis was used to determine the relative amounts of opening and shear loadings at the debond crack tip. The calculated fracture energies are compared to values determined by the double‐cantilever‐beam technique and the four‐point flexure‐beam technique.

/pdf/use-of-the-microindentation-technique-for-determining-18vxl23td1.pdf

Use of the Microindentation Technique for Determining Interfacial Fracture Energy

Three biaxial strength tests (ring-on-ring, piston-on-3 ball, and ball-on-ring) were evaluated using finite element analysis. Although in all three tests some uncertainties exist regarding the calculation of fracture stresses from the analytical equation, if fracture occurs within the loading ring, the ring-on-ring loading is thought to give the most accurate measure of strength. In addition, it was found that specimen shape (square vs. circular) had no effect on the stress distribution within the supports and that the stress at the edge of the specimen was less than 10% of the maximum stress for an overhang greater than about 40%. Fracture strength measurements on soda-lime glass gave support to these finite element results.

Appraisal of biaxial strength testing

The effect of room-temperature erosion on material removal from and strength properties of soda-lime glass and sintered alumina was determined. The results were compared to the elastic/plastic indentation fracture model. The dependence of erosion rate and strength of soda-lime glass on the kinetic energy of the impacting particles was in good agreement with predictions. The lack of agreement between theory and experiment for sintered alumina was attributed to microstructural aspects of the erosion damage that are not modeled by indentation fracture.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1984.tb19515.x

John E. Ritter

Papers

Predicting lifetimes of materials and material structures

Dynamic and Static Fatigue of Silicate Glasses

Use of the Microindentation Technique for Determining Interfacial Fracture Energy

Appraisal of biaxial strength testing

Erosion damage in glass and alumina