Analysis of a compression shear fracture test for curved interfaces in layered composites

The goal of this paper is computational analysis of a compression shear fracture test, proposed for interface fracture toughness determination and crack propagation analysis in curved layered composites. The main difficulty of the test is that crack surfaces come into contact. Thus, friction is an energy absorbing mechanism, that superimposes with other irreversible phenomena––an energy released during crack extension. Numerical analysis using contact finite elements is paid to the near crack-tip displacements and stresses. The comparison between finite element method and analytically determined stresses is made. This study shows that energy release rate of the composite considered strongly depends on the interfacial friction coefficient.