Transient thermal stress intensity factors of bimaterial interface cracks using refined three-fringe photoelasticity

Abstract

Transient thermal stresses of a bimaterial specimen with interface edge cracks subjected to heating along an edge is analysed by refined three-fringe photoelasticity (RTFP). Whole-field, noise-free, fringe order estimation using a single colour image is made possible using RTFP combined with colour adaptation. The stress intensity factors (SIFs) of the interface crack are determined through a multiparameter overdeterministic system of equations by a least-squares approach using experimental data collected automatically. The transient SIFs are found to peak to a higher value than in steady state, and the opening mode is found to be dominant. An increase in thermal load causes the crack to propagate, and this is easily visualized on the basis of quantitative fringe order data available for the whole field. The SIFs of a propagating crack are found to be low. The study shows that the crack propagates easily when the opening mode is dominant.