Fracture of Brittle Solids. V. Two-Dimensional Distribution Function for Fragment Size in Single Fracture (Experimental)

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Abstract
Experimental data corresponding to the exoclastic fragments from spherical glass specimens fractured in gelatin in the course of the work on paper II are used to test the theoretical predictions of paper IV; the fragments in question are those engendered by surficial flaws of the specimen. The data on the fragments consist of measurements of the spherical surface corresponding to the original surface of the specimen, and of the core surface. The latter surface appears on many of the exoclastic fragments; it arises through failure under compression of the central core of the specimen to produce the endoclastic fragments. The over-all probability of fracture determined only by the original spherical surface on the fragments shows the presence in the corresponding distribution of three component distributions, corresponding in general to the larger fragments, those of intermediate size, and the smaller fragments. The first distribution is identified as arising from fragmentation through activation of surficial flaws in the core surface, and agreement of the data with theory is good. By eliminating fragments from the over-all distribution for which the data are correlated with theory in this manner, the second distribution in question is identified as corresponding to fragmentation through activation of surficial flaws in the original spherical surface of the specimen. Excellent agreement of the data with the theory of IV is obtained. The remaining distribution probably arises from particles formed by activation of internal flaws (although original surface of the specimen appears on the fragments). The results yield numerical values of surficial flaw densities.