The Meso-Structural Characteristics of Crack Generation and Propagation during Rock Fracturing

Meso-structure is an important factor affecting the characteristics of rock fracture. To determine the factors influencing the internal meso-structural characteristics upon the crack generation and extension, rock samples were tested under uniaxial cyclic loading and unloading and examined using computed tomography (CT) scanning. CT scanning was used to visualize and investigate the entire process of fracture source generation and its development in three dimensions, and finally the location information of the fracture source was determined. The mineral composition and structure along the fracture path inside the specimen were studied by using a polarizing microscope, and the evolution of fracture propagation around mineral particles was revealed based on its mineralogical characteristics. Results indicate that based on the fracture source around different rock meso-structure types, the initial fracture source can also be divided into different types, namely, the primary porosity type, the micro-crack type, and the mineral grain type. The strength characteristics of mineral grains can determine whether the crack extends around the gravel or through it. The hard grains at the crack-tip promote the transformation of tensile stress to shear stress, which lead to the change in the direction of crack extension and bifurcation. The spatial shape of the cracks after rock fracture is related to the initial distribution of minerals and is more complicated in areas where minerals are concentrated. The crack extension around gravel particles also generates a mode of failure, affecting large grains with gravel spalling from the matrix. The findings provide a study basis for identifying the potentially dangerous areas and provide early warning for the safety of underground engineering construction operations.

A Machine Learning Model for Predicting Progressive Crack Extension based on Direct Current Potential Drop Fatigue Data

Time history data collected from a Direct Current Potential Drop (DCPD) fatigue experiment at a range of temperatures was used to train a Bidirectional Long-Short Term Memory Neural Network (BiLSTM) model. The model was trained on high sampling rate experimental data from crack initiation up through the Paris regime. The BiLSTM model was able to predict the progressive crack extension at intermediate temperatures and stress intensities. The model was able to reproduce crack jumps and overall crack progression. The BiLSTM model demonstrated the potential to be used as a tool for future investigation into fundamental mechanisms such as high-temperature oxidation and new damage models.

Comparison of polymerization stresses of dental resin composites evaluated by two indentation fracture methods

BACKGROUND: Polymerization stress is a major problem in dental resin composite restorations. Two indentation fracture methods can be applied to evaluate the stress, however, they often calculate different values. OBJECTIVE: To compare polymerization stresses of dental composites determined by the two methods. METHODS: Glass disks with a central hole were used. Two indentation fracture methods (Methods 1 and 2) were employed to determine the polymerization stresses of low-shrinkage and bulk-fill composites. Method 1: Cracks were made in the glass surface at 300 μm from the hole. The hole was filled with the composite. Polymerization stresses at 30 min after filling were calculated from the lengths of crack extension. Method 2: The hole was filled with the composite. Cracks were introduced in the glass at 1,000 μm from the hole at 30 min after the polymerization and the stresses were calculated from the crack lengths. Stresses at composite-glass bonded interface were calculated from the stress values obtained by the two methods. RESULTS: The bulk-fill composite generated the smallest interfacial stress, and Method 1 revealed lower values than Method 2. CONCLUSIONS: The composites yielded relatively small stresses. Method 1 calculated smaller stress values, possibly affected by the lower threshold stress intensity factor.

Significance of Stable Crack Extension to Fatigue Crack Growth

A long-overlooked aspect of fatigue crack growth is the potential contribution to it, of stable crack extension (SCE). Reduction in specimen size and increase in magnitude of cyclic loading will induce increased contribution of SCE. SCE as a load interaction effect is manifest in disproportionately high crack extension due to periodic overloads. SCE can exceed by more than an order of magnitude estimates of crack growth from the da/dN versus DK relationship. Simple equations are proposed to account for SCE in fatigue crack growth. A numerical analysis is performed to characterize the significance of SCE to constant amplitude and variable amplitude fatigue crack growth.