Evaluation of the SIF, T-stress, and higher-order coefficient values of cracked triangular specimens under mixed mode loadings by the digital photoelasticity method.

Mixed mode I+II fracture of triangular shape specimens is studied experimentally and numerically. The investigated fracture results have been obtained for a brittle polycarbonate by testing an inclined edge crack triangular shape specimen subjected to symmetrical three-point bend loading in the entire range of mode mixities from pure mode I to pure mode II. Stress intensity factors, T-stresses and higher-order terms have been found by the digital photoelasticity and finite element methods. It is shown that the experimental and numerical results are in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]