THE GRIFFITH ENERGY PROBLEM FOR BRITTLE POLYMERS

E. M. Kartashov

UDC 539.3

A number of problems concerning the Griffith criterion
for brittle polymers have been considered. A general
formula for the energy of deformation of a stressed
sample with surface and internal cracks has been derived.
This energy was calculated simultaneously for the plane
and plane-deformed states of this sample. The commonly
accepted view that the Griffith criterion determines
a quasi-safe stress that differs markedly from
the athermal-fracture criterion was verified.

M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State Academy of Fine Chemical
Technology, 86 Vernadskii Ave., Moscow, 119571, Russia.
Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal,
Vol. 80, No. 1, pp. 156-165, January-February, 2007.
Original article submitted October 12, 2005;
revision submitted May 12, 2006.