Theoretical analysis of the double cleavage drilled compression specimen

A theoretical analysis of stress intensity factors and crack opening displacements for the double cleavage drilled compression specimen (DCDC) is presented. Under uniaxial compression, tensile stresses exist at the edge of the hole and this tensile stress propagates a crack in the DCDC specimen. Because this tensile region is very localized, catastrophic crack growth cannot occur and it is not necessary to groove the specimen to promote straight crack growth. The controlled crack growth possible with this specimen should make it possible to examine fracture mechanisms in detail. The simplicity of this test specimen also makes it an ideal candidate for studying environmental effects on fracture.