Stable crack growth along a brittle/ductile interface. II: Small scale yielding solutions and interfacial toughness predictions (Q1302980)

We consider the problem of crack growing steadily and quasi-statically along a brittle/ductile interface under plane strain, mixed mode, and small scale yielding conditions. The ductile material is characterized by the \(J_2\)-flow theory of plasticity with linear strain hardening, while the brittle material is linearly elastic. A displacement-based finite element method, exploiting the convective nature of the problem, is utilized to solve the corresponding boundary value problem. In part I of this work [\textit{P. Ponte Castañeda} and \textit{P. A. Mataga}, ibid. 27, 105-133 (1991)], we investigated the asymptotic problem. This paper addresses the full-field problem in order to validate the asymptotic solutions, and to explore the physical implications of the results. The numerical full-field results are found to be in good agreement with the analytical asymptotic solutions.