Mixed Mode Fracture Investigation of Rock Specimens Containing Sharp V-Notches

This work aims to assess both experimentally and analytically the fracture behavior of rock specimens containing sharp V-notches (SV-notches) subjected to mixed mode I/II loading. To this end, firstly, several mixed mode fracture tests were conducted on Brazilian disk specimens weakened by an SV-notch (SVNBD sample), performed in their corresponding center and with various notch opening angles. Secondly, the fracture resistance of the tested samples was predicted using a criterion named MTS-FEM. This approach is based on the maximum tangential stress (MTS) criterion, in which the tangential stress is determined from the finite element method (FEM). Additionally, in the present research, the required critical distance is calculated directly from finite element analyses performed on cracked samples. Comparing the experimental results and the analytical predictions, it is shown that the fracture curves obtained from the MTS-FEM criterion are in agreement with the experimental results. These results are achieved without the need for the calculation of stress series expansion coefficients, as an additional advantage of the proposed approach.