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Stick–slip mode-I fracture in a modified tapered double cantilever beam: A multi-model numerical study
   

Stick–slip mode-I fracture in a modified tapered double cantilever beam: A multi-model numerical study

Hsiao Wei Lee, Zachary J. Phillips, Li Meng Ahmad Raeisi Najafi
Engineering fracture mechanics, v 345(Part A), 112416
Oct 2026
: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2026.112416
 

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url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2026.112416
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open Access via Drexel Libraries Read and Publish Program 2026
Tapered double cantilever beam Fracture Phase-field method Cohesive zone method Virtual crack closure technique Stick-slip crack growth
The unique geometry of the tapered double cantilever beam (TDCB) enables crack-length-independent measurement of mode-I fracture toughness. It is therefore widely used for fracture characterization when a consistent energy release rate is required or when crack length measurement is difficult, such as in self-healing polymer applications. However, TDCB experiments often exhibit stick–slip crack propagation characterized by repeated crack initiation and arrest, leading to a saw-tooth-like load–displacement response that is challenging to reproduce numerically. This study investigates such stick–slip mode-I fracture in a modified monolithic TDCB using three finite element formulations: the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT), the cohesive zone model (CZM), and the phase-field method (PFM). The aim is to understand which experimentally observed response features are captured by each formulation and how they are affected by precrack length, loading boundary conditions, mesh refinement, and model-specific parameters. The results show that PFM captures the mean fracture response and damage evolution without requiring a predefined crack path, but does not reproduce the discrete stick–slip pattern observed experimentally. In contrast, VCCT and CZM capture discrete crack advance and the associated saw-tooth response, although with different sensitivities to constitutive and numerical parameters. The initial stiffness and load–displacement response are also shown to depend strongly on the constraint and contact conditions at the loading holes. The study therefore provides a mechanics-based interpretation of stick–slip fracture in the modified TDCB and clarifies how different numerical formulations capture its key mode-I response features.
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