Delamination of layered structures on elastic foundation

This study presents an interface fracture mechanics analysis of delamination of a layered beam resting on a Winkler elastic foundation subject to general mechanical loads. A crack tip element on elastic foundation model is established first, through which, two concentrated forces existing at the crack tip are determined in closed-form. Then total energy release rate of the crack can be expressed in term of these two forces. By using available numerical results in the literature, the phase angle of the total energy release rate is also obtained. To verify the validity and accuracy of the solutions, debonding of a bonded overlay from the base structure resting on a Winkler elastic foundation is analyzed using the present solution. Comparisons with the baseline results obtained by finite element analysis suggest that the present analytical solution provides an excellent estimation of the total energy release rate and its phase angle for interface cracks in layered structure on elastic foundation. This study provides an approximated analysis of the debonding of a thin overlay debonding from the concrete pavement, where the effect of the base structure is simplified by a Winkler elastic foundation. This solution can also be used to analyze other similar delamination problems, such as local delamination in laminated composites, and face sheet delimitation in sandwich beams.