Abstract: A method of determining fracture mode transition behavior (FMTB) of solid materials by using stress field modified miniature specimens. The method is an improvement in the method of determining mechanical behavior information from specimens only so large as to have at least a volume or smallest dimension sufficient to satisfy continuum behavior in all directions. FMTB of the material is determined from the measurements taken during the loading of the specimen resulting in the formation of cracks and/or the further propagation of cracks in the miniature specimen and/or fracture. The specimens are provided with grooves that induce additional stress field modifying stress components in the specimens during the test. These additional stress components result in a desired stress state in the specimens which could not be achieved otherwise. The methods are useful in determining FMTB for the material, when the specimen thickness is smaller than previously thought necessary for valid FMTB determinations.

Abstract: A method of determining the mechanical behavior of solid materials by using stress field modified miniature specimens. The method is an improvement in the method of determining mechanical behavior information from specimens only so large as to have at least a volume or smallest dimension sufficient to satisfy continuum behavior in all directions. Mechanical behavior of the material is determined from the measurements taken during the loading of the specimen resulting in the formation of cracks and/or the further propagation of cracks in the miniature specimen. The specimens include construction features for applying additional stress field modifying loads upon the specimens during the test. These additional loads result in a desired stress state in the specimen which could not be achieved otherwise. A particular example is the introduction of a transverse tensile load during a bend test to increase the transverse stress field to achieve plane strain conditions in a thin specimen.

Abstract: A method of determining fracture mode transition behavior (FMTB) of solid materials by using stress field modified miniature specimens. The method is an improvement in the method of determining mechanical behavior information from specimens only so large as to have at least a volume or smallest dimension sufficient to satisfy continuum behavior in all directions. FMTB of the material is determined from the measurements taken during the loading of the specimen resulting in the formation of cracks and/or the further propagation of cracks in the miniature specimen and/or fracture. The specimens are provided with grooves that induce additinal stress field modifying stress components in the specimens during the test. These additional stress components result in a desired stress state in the specimen which could not be achieved otherwise. The methods are useful in determining FMTB for the material, when the specimen thickness is smaller than previously thought necessary for valid FMTB determinations.

Abstract: A Miniaturized Bend Test (MBT) capable of extracting and determining mechanical behavior information from specimens only so large as to have at least a volume or smallest dimension sufficient to satisfy continuum behavior in all directions. The mechanical behavior of the material is determined from the measurements taken during the bending of the specimen and is processed according to the principles of linear or nonlinear material mechanics or both. In a preferred embodiment the determination is carried out by a code which is constructed according to the finite element method, and the specimen used for the determinations is a miniature disk simply supported for central loading at the axis on the center of the disk.