Nonlinear harmonic waves generated at cracked interfaces are investigated both experimentally and theoretically. A compact tension specimen is fabricated and the amplitude of transmitted wave is analyzed as a function of position along the fatigued crack surface. In order to measure as many nonlinear harmonic components as possible a broadband Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) transducers are employed together with a calibration technique for making absolute amplitude measurements with fluid‐coupled receiving transducers. Cracked interfaces are shown to generate high acoustic nonlinearities which are manifested as harmonics in the power spectrum of the received signal. The first subharmonic (f∕2) and the second harmonic (2f) waves are found to be dominant nonlinear components for an incident toneburst signal of frequency f. To explain the observed nonlinear behavior a partially closed crack is modeled by planar half interfaces that can account for crack parameters such as crack opening displacement and crack surface conditions. The simulation results show reasonable agreements with the experimental results
