Experimental and Numerical Study of Shear Fracture in Brittle Materials with Interference of Initial Double Cracks

A simultaneous experimental and numerical study of shear fracture of concrete-like materials is carried out using Brazilian disc specimens with initial double edge cracks and fourpoint bending beam specimens with double edge-notches. The interference effects of two cracks/notches are investigated through varied ligament angles and crack lengths. It is shown that shear fracturing paths change remarkably with the initial ligament angles and crack...