In order to investigate the temporal and morphological characteristics of dynamic tensile fractures, experiments on Brazilian specimens machined from igneous rocks (Breccia and Andesite) are carried out with the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). Detailed observation of the fracture processes of the Brazilian specimens is captured by high-speed camera at a frame rate of 100,000 frames per second. The rate-dependent effect of the dynamic tensile strength of the two igneous rocks is fitted and predicted by the incubation time criterion. Digital image correlation (DIC) is used to calculate the full-field tensile strain distributions on the specimen surface during the loading stage preceding fracture, and this hysteresis of dynamic fracture relative to stress level is interpreted by introducing the concept of incubation time. After the main crack appears, image processing technology is exploited to extract the pixel information of cracks in the high-speed images. Then, FracPaQ quantifies the morphology of the fragmentized process by filling the binarization of cracks with fracture traces. After coordination of the statistical information from these fracture traces, the rose diagram representing their angles and length weights can visually represent the fragmentized characteristics of the Brazilian specimen. Specifically, length-angle distributions of fracture traces at various moments are consistent with the Gaussian function, and the curve fitting parameters reflect differences in the fracture behaviors between the two igneous rocks. In conclusion, the dynamic fracture characteristics of two igneous rocks in dynamic splitting processes are quantified statistically, which can provide references for relevant research.
The dynamic response behavior of concrete is constantly concerned because of seismic, impact and explosion events in the service of constructions. As a classic device for testing the dynamic mechanical properties of materials, the splitting Hopkinson pressure bar was used to carry out dynamic splitting tests on concrete in this paper. The variation of the dynamic tensile strength against the stress rate was fitted by the incubation time criterion. The full-field strain distribution on the observed surface of the specimen at the crack initiation stage was obtained by the digital image correlation (DIC) method. Morphological characteristics of the fragmentized process of concrete specimens in splitting processes were obtained by combining the image processing techniques and the FracPaQ. The size distribution of fragments of concrete specimens was obtained by sieving. The results show that the strain concentration zone and crack initiation appear along the loading direction through the center of the specimen. The secondary cracks initiated occurred at the contact end of the specimen, which expanded along the strain concentration zone and then interacted with the main crack. At the early stage of crack extension, the main crack dominates the normalized length of fracture traces in the horizontal direction. The normalized length of the vertical fracture trace increases with the main cracks opening width and the expansion of the secondary crack. The relationship between the length and angle of fracture traces in the dynamic splitting process of concrete conforms to the Gaussian function. Finally, the fragment sizes decrease with the stress rates of impact loads.