Prediction of Fracture Energy and Flaw Size in Glasses from Measurements of Mirror Size

Fracture strengths (δ), fracture-initiating flaw sizes, and mirror radii (r), as outlined by either the mist or the hackle boundary, were measured for silicate and nonsilicate glasses (e.g. As2S3 and glassy carbon). For all glasses, δr1/2= constant. The average ratios of inner and outer mirror radii to flaw size were ∼10:1 and ∼13:1, respectively, for most of the glasses. Critical fracture energies calculated from either flaw or mirror size agreed very well with those obtained by double-cantilever-beam measurements.