Mixed-Mode (I/II) Fracture of Cementitious Mortar: Experimental and Numerical Studies

Abstract: The study focuses on using fracture mechanics to determine mixed-mode fracture properties of cementitious mortar based on numerical and experimental analyses. By means of the finite-element results, correction factors were applied to the specimens with edge crack and a polynomial fit was proposed to evaluate the stress intensity factors of a modified version of Arcan device and compact-tension and shear (CTS) specimen with an edge crack subjected to mixed-mode loading. The finite-element analyses of cementitious mortar were studied using different crack length. The interaction J-integral method was used to separate the mixed-mode stress intensity factors at the crack-tip under different loading conditions. In this study, a modified version of the Arcan device and CTS specimen was made for the mixed-mode fracture test of cementitious mortar specimens, which allows mode-I, mode-II, and almost any combination of mode-I and mode-II loading to be tested with the same test specimen configuration. The main objective of this study was to determine the fracture toughness KIC and KIIC for the cementitious mortar under consideration for a wide range of mixed-mode loading conditions.