Effect of Structure on Environmentally Assisted Subcritical Crack Growth in Brittle Materials

Subcritical crack growth in brittle materials is considered when it is thermally activated and water vapor affected. Effects of material structure on the crack growth were investigated. Special case of subcritical crack growth is examined when the crack growth is decided by water vapor enhanced rupture of some particulate strength controlling elements of material structure. The water vapor is assumed to be transported to these elements through the material by diffusion in a gas filling a system of interconnected open pore channels in the material volume. Calculated crack velocity plots versus the stress intensity factor, temperature and humidity are presented. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.