Experimental investigation of the effects of water content on the anisotropy of mode I fracture toughness of bedded mudstones

The influence of water content on mode I fracture toughness (KIc) of mudstones has been studied using semi-circular bend (SCB) specimens subject to three-point bendings. And the mudstone SCB specimens are divided into three types, including Type-A, Type-B and Type-C, corresponding to the three configurations of the bedding planes, including divider direction, arrester direction, and transverse direction, respectively. The test results show that...