Influence of Anisotropic Properties Upon Stress Intensity Factors under Biaxial Stress

In this study, stress intensity factors were investigated and determined by photoelastic and caustics methods to clarify the mechanical behavior of crack tips under various biaxiality ratios. Polycarbonate (PC) plates with isotropic and anisotropic properties were used as specimens. The results confirmed that regardless of biaxiality ratio or the material’s property only ‘KI’ was generated in cases of a crack angle θ = 0º. It was also confirmed that only KI was generated in the isotropic PC plate with crack angle θ = 45º under a biaxial load (1:1). When the biaxiality ratio is more than 1:1 with a crack angle θ = 45º, both KI and KII are simultaneously generated in the isotropic specimen. Furthermore, KI, and KII values are influenced most by the extrusion direction in the anisotropic specimens as the biaxiality load ratios increase.