The failure of brittle porous solids under compressive stress states

Abstract When porous, brittle, solids are loaded in compression, small cracks grow from the pores. The extent of growth is calculated as a function of pore size and confining pressure, and compared with experiments on glass and on brittle plastics. The interaction of growing cracks with the surfaces of the sample and with each other is analysed in detail. This leads to the formulation of a theory of damage mechanics for brittle porous solids in multiaxial compression.