Interface toughness under combined mode I, II and III loadings

Abstract

The inteface toughness of a joint consisting of a ductile layer sandwiched between two elastic substrates under combined mode I, mode II and mode III loadings is obtained by finite element studies. With the failure processes modelled by an interface traction-separation law, the interface fracture resistance including the contribution arising from plastic dissipation in the ductile layer was calculated. The results show that the interface toughness is highly dependent on the properties of the interface, the thickness of the ductile layer, and the amount of mode II and mode III relative to mode I. While interface toughness is a strong function of mode II loading component, which shows that it is an even stronger function of mode III loading component.