Crack displacements for J/I/ testing with compact specimens

The suggestion is made that the standard compact specimen (with opening displacement measured at the crack mouth) may be entirely suitable for J-integral determinations if a very simple conversion factor is used. Experimental determination of J-integral values requires the measurement of displacements at the points of load application. For the compact specimen this is a difficult task. On the basis of studies reported by Newman (1979) and Fisher and Buzzard (1980), it is suggested that for any J-based test the standard compact specimen can be used. A very good approximation to the load point displacement (within 3.4 percent) can be obtained by measuring the crack mouth displacement and multiplying by 0.773.