Miniature bulge test and energy release rate in HIPed aluminum/aluminum interfacial fracture

This paper summarizes the development of a technique of using miniature bulge test combined with three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC) for measuring energy release rate or fracture toughness of bimaterial interface of thin metal foils. The energy release rate associated with the HIPed aluminum/aluminum interfacial delamination is determined experimentally using the proposed technique. Detailed discussions of the schemes of preparing and conducting the bulge test, and computing various quantities required for the determination of the energy release rate are presented.