Fractal characterization of brittle fracture in ceramics under mode I stress loading

The self-affine behavior of Brazilian disk test titanium oxide specimens for KIc measurement was investigated from 3D elevation maps obtained at regular intervals following crack extension. The bifractal approach could be adopted due to the self-affine characteristics of crack propagation under linear elastic regime, determining fractal dimensions associated to micro- (DT) and macro- (DS) resolution scales. It was found that fractal dimension data were dependent on crack front positions, and could not be related to fracture toughness.