Development of a brittle fracture criterion for prediction of crack propagation path under general mixed mode loading

• A new brittle fracture criterion is proposed for triaxial mixed mode loading.
• A material-dependent effective stress is defined as a main fracture parameter.
• The proposed criterion considers material properties in crack growth direction.
• The ratios of shear strength to tensile one in various materials are considered.

To predict the crack propagation trajectory under general mixed mode loading, a novel criterion has been developed. For this purpose, the material-dependent effective stress proposed in the maximum effective stress criterion based on involving all effective components in crack extension under mixed mode I/II, has been developed for mixed mode I/II/III. The effects of the ratio of fracture toughness in mode III to that of mode I (KIIIC/KIC) on the crack growth have been considered by using a new material parameter. The predicted results of developed criterion in different mixed mode conditions show good agreement with the available experimental ones.