A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation on the Fracture Mechanism of Center-Symmetric Closed Crack in Compacted Clay under Compression-Shear Loading

In this study, a modified maximum tangential stress criterion by considering T-stress and uniaxial compression tests have been utilized to theoretically and experimentally reveal the fracture initiation mechanism of a center-symmetric closed crack in compacted clay. The results show that wing cracks occur in the linear elastic phase of the stress-strain curve. In the plastic phase of the stress-strain curve, the wing cracks extend gradually and the shear cracks occur. The crack initiation stress and peak stress of compacted clay first decrease with the rise in pre-crack inclination angle (beta = 0 degrees-40 degrees), and then increase with the rise in pre-crack inclination angle (beta = 50 degrees-90 degrees). When the pre-crack inclination angle is relatively small or large (beta <= 10 degrees or beta >= 70 degrees), the crack type is mainly tension cracks. Secondary shear cracks occur when the pre-crack inclination angle is 10 degrees -80 degrees. When the dimensionless crack length is larger than 0.35, the crack types include wing-type tension cracks and secondary shear cracks. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical values. It was found that the critical size rc of compacted clay under compression-shear loading was 0.75 mm, smaller than the value calculated by the empirical formula (12 mm). The MTS criterion considering T-stress can be used to predict the compression-shear fracture behavior of compacted clay.