Crack-Tip Strain Field in Supershear Crack of Elastomers

Abstract

We characterize the crack-tip strain field in the high-speed (supershear) crack in the elastomers propagating faster than the shear wave speed of sound (Cs). The dependence of steady-state crack velocity (V) on input tearing energy exhibits a crossover at V ≈ Cs between the subsonic (V < Cs) and supershear cracks (V > Cs). Several features of the crack-tip strain field such as strain-magnitude, extent boundary, and singularity exponent also change substantially accompanying the transition from subsonic to supershear cracks. The definite crossover of these characteristics at V ≈ Cs reflects the variations in the crack-growth mechanism: The inertia effect comes into play in the supershear crack. We also demonstrate that the azimuthal distribution of the local crack-tip strain has a close correlation with the macroscopic crack-tip shape, regardless of the regime of V.