Measurement of crack closure after the application of an overload cycle, using moiré interferometry

The crack closure behaviour on the application of a single overload cycle was studied in a Ti-6Al-4V specimen. Moiré interferometry with photoresist gratings was used to measure crack displacements. During the overload cycle a large crack opening displacement was observed at the maximum load. This was similar to predictions from a Dugdale-type crack closure model. When the load was taken back to zero, the crack was open at the crack tip due to the high levels of plastic deformation during the overload cycle. As the crack was grown there was some evidence of the deformed material on the crack faces.