A buckling instability in a system where a straight edge crack lies at the interface between a thin elastic film and a substrate is analysed theoretically and experimentally. The buckling, which can occur also under remote tensile loads, may result in crack growth before the conventional criterion for fracture is met on the straight crack front by enhancing the mode adjusted crack driving force. If crack growth occurs, buckling will cause a wavy crack front to develop.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Topics:
Buckling, Fracture (Materials), Stress
1.
Campbell, G. H., 1990, “The Role of Interfaces in Whisker Toughening of Ceramics,” Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.
2.
Chai
H.
,
Babcock
C. D.
, and
Knauss
W. G.
,
1981
, “
One Dimensional Modelling of Failure in Laminated Plates by Delamination Buckling
,”
International Journal of Solids and Structures
, Vol.
17
, pp.
1069
–
1083
.
3.
Conley
K. M.
,
Gu
W.
,
Ritter
J. E.
, and
Lardner
T. J.
,
1992
, “
Observations on Finger-like Crack Growth at a Urethane Acrylate/Glass Interface
,”
Journal of Adhesion
, Vol.
39
, pp.
173
–
184
.
4.
Evans
A. G.
, and
Hutchinson
J. W.
,
1984
, “
On the Mechanics of Delamination and Spalling in Compressed Films
,”
International Journal of Solids and Structures
, Vol.
20
, pp.
455
–
466
.
5.
Fields
R. J.
, and
Ashby
M. F.
,
1976
, “
Finger-like Crack Growth in Solids and Liquids
,”
Philosophical Magazine
, Vol.
33
, pp.
33
–
48
.
6.
Hutchinson
J. W.
,
Thouless
M. D.
, and
Liniger
E. G.
,
1992
, “
Growth and Configurational Stability of Circular, Buckling-driven Thin Film Delaminations
,”
Acta Metallurgica et Materialia
, Vol.
40
, pp.
295
–
308
.
7.
Jensen
H. M.
,
1988
, “
Collapse of Hydrostatically Loaded Cylindrical Shells
,”
International Journal of Solids and Structures
, Vol.
24
, pp.
51
–
64
.
8.
Jensen
H. M.
,
1993
, “
Energy Release Rates and Stability of Straight-sided, Thin-film Delaminations
,”
Acta Metallurgica et Materialia
, Vol.
41
, pp.
601
–
607
.
9.
McEwan
A. D.
, and
Taylor
G. I.
,
1966
, “
The Peeling of a Flexible Strip Attached by a Viscous Adhesive
,”
Journal of Fluid Mechanics
, Vol.
26
, pp.
1
–
15
.
10.
Nilsson
K.-F.
,
Thesken
J. C.
,
Sindelar
P.
,
Giannakopoulos
A. E.
, and
Stora˚kers
B.
,
1993
, “
A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Buckling Induced Delamination Growth
,”
Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
, Vol.
41
, pp.
749
–
782
.
11.
Stringfellow
R. G.
, and
Freund
L. B.
,
1993
, “
The Effect of Interfacial Friction on the Buckle-driven Spontaneous Delamination of a Compressed Thin Film
,”
International Journal of Solids and Structures
, Vol.
30
, pp.
1379
–
1395
.
12.
Suo
Z.
, and
Hutchinson
J. W.
,
1990
, “
Interface Crack between Two Elastic Layers
,”
International Journal of Fracture
, Vol.
43
, pp.
1
–
18
.
13.
Thouless
M. D.
,
Hutchinson
J. W.
, and
Liniger
E. G.
,
1992
, “
Plane-strain, Buckling-driven Delamination of Thin Films: Model Experiments and Mode-II Fracture
,”
Acta Metallurgica et Materialia
, Vol.
40
, pp.
1281
–
1286
.
14.
Thouless
M. D.
,
Jensen
H. M.
, and
Liniger
E. G.
,
1994
, “
Delamination from Edge Flaws
,”
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London
, Vol.
A447
, pp.
271
–
279
.
This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright © 1995
 by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.