Determination of the fracture toughness of polycarbonate using an energy approach

A number of polycarbonate (PC) specimens, having the same compact tension type configuration but with different initial crack lengths, was tested at -12[deg]C under Mode I type loading. The pop-in loads and corresponding displacements at the loading pins were plotted and connected by a common curve. The value of KIC was determined using the method first proposed by Gurney and Hunt and was in close agreement with values reported by others. It is concluded that the pop-in load versus displacement curve is equivalent to a locus describing crack propagation under plane-strain conditions and suggests a new approach for determining KIC for ductile solids.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/25364/1/0000812.pd