https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201714007015
Experimental investigation of mode I fracture for brittle tube-shaped particles
1 Univ. Grenoble Alpes, 3SR, F-38000 Grenoble, France
2 CNRS, 3SR, F-38000 Grenoble, France
3 Andra, R&D Division, Meuse/Haute-Marne Underground Research Laboratory, 55290 Bure, France
* e-mail: marta.stasiak@grenoble-3sr.fr
Published online: 30 June 2017
We focus herein on the mechanical behavior of highly crushable grains. The object of our interest, named shell, is a hollow cylinder grain with ring cross-section, made of baked clay. The objective is to model the fragmentation of such shells, by means of discrete element (DE) approach. To this end, fracture modes I (opening fracture) and II (in-plane shear fracture) have to be investigated experimentally. This paper is essentially dedicated to mode I fracture. Therefore, a campaign of Brazilian-like compression tests, that result in crack opening, has been performed. The distribution of the occurrence of tensile strength is shown to obey a Weibull distribution for the studied shells, and Weibull’s modulus was quantified. Finally, an estimate of the numerical/physical parameters required in a DE model (local strength), is proposed on the basis of the energy required to fracture through a given surface in mode I or II.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2017
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.