Determination of Dynamic Crack Growth Index of Soda-Lime Silicate Glass Based on Controlling Crack Initiation

doi:10.16552/j.cnki.issn1001-1625.2025.1120

Abstract

Abstract:

Subcritical crack growth （SCG） is the fundamental mechanism driving the fatigue behavior （strength degradation） and the service lifetime reduction of glass materials. The dynamic crack growth index n is a critical parameter for characterizing a material’s resistance to SCG. Currently， discrepancies in testing parameters reported across literature have led to significant scatter in measured n values， yet the underlying influence mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this work， soda-lime silicate glass was selected as the research object. By varying the Vickers indentation load， pre-induced flaws with different morphologies were introduced to systematically investigate their effects on crack initiation and the determination of n. The results show that a low indentation load （0.196 N） produces deformation dominated by localized densification， failing to initiate sharp cracks， which leads to random fracture origins and prevents determination of the intrinsic n value. Conversely， increasing the indentation load to 2.940 N enables the stable formation of sharp precracks， effectively controlling the fracture origin. Under this condition， the measured n value is 31， approaching the upper bound （35） of reported values. This relatively high value is likely associated with the high stress rate applied in this study， which suppresses the stress corrosion， as well as the residual stresses induced by indentation. This work provides both experimental and theoretical insights for the standardization of precrack preparation in the dynamic crack growth index measurement for inorganic brittle silicate glasses.

Key words: soda-lime silicate glass, dynamic crack growth index, controlled crack initiation, Vickers indentation, coaxial double-ring bending test

CLC Number:

TQ171

ZHANG Jinlong, ZHOU Hemin, TIAN Haodong, HU Yunting, XU Chi, QIAO Ang, TAO Haizheng. Determination of Dynamic Crack Growth Index of Soda-Lime Silicate Glass Based on Controlling Crack Initiation[J]. BULLETIN OF THE CHINESE CERAMIC SOCIETY, 2026, 45(3): 903-910.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig.1 Schematic of typical crack growth velocity-stress intensity factor （v-KI） curve for silicate glass［5］

Table 1 Summary of experimental conditions and reported results of dynamic crack growth index nfor soda-lime silicate glass

Method	Test condition	Surface condition	Indentation load/N	Stress rate range/（MPa·s^-1）	n value
FPB	RT， air	Indented	19.6	0.22~22.2	16.2^［20］
FPB	27 ℃， 65% RH	As-received	—	0.04~400	21.8^［13］
FPB	27 ℃， 65% RH	Indented	9.8	0.04~400	21.1^［13］
FPB	RT， 25%~30% RH	Abraded	—	1~100	28.0^［21］
FPB	25 ℃， 45% RH	Indented	9.8	0.009 82~9.82	18.8^［22］
CDR	RT， air	Scratch	—	0.003~50	18.1^［15］
CDR	RT， air	Indented	300	0.02~200	21.6^［16］
CDR	22.7 ℃， 50% RH	Indented	30	0.02~20	14.2^［17］
CDR	22 ℃， 30% RH	As-received	—	2~5.6×10⁶	26.4^［19］
CDR	22 ℃， 30% RH	Scratch	—	1~1.5×10⁶	34.6^［19］
CDR	25 ℃， 50% RH	Indented	9.8	0.6~20	14.8^［23］

Fig.2 Typical Vickers indentation imprints of soda-lime silicate glass under different loads

Fig.3 Representative fracture patterns of soda-lime silicate glasses with pre-induced flaws under different indentation loads， measured at various stress rates

Fig.4 Load-displacement curves of soda-lime silicate glass with pre-induced flaws under different indentation loads， measured at various stress rates

Table 2 Fracture strength of soda-lime silicate glass with pre-induced flaws under different indentation loads， measured at various stress rates

$σ ˙$ /（MPa·s^-1）	σ_f（0.196 N）/MPa	σ_f（2.940 N）/MPa
1	74.5±10.4	66.1±2.2
3	87.7±8.3	68.4±2.0
10	97.9±10.0	70.8±2.8
32	120.8±13.0	74.1±3.1
100	159.3±13.2	76.4±2.0

Table 2 Fracture strength of soda-lime silicate glass with pre-induced flaws under different indentation loads， measured at various stress rates

$σ ˙$ /（MPa·s^-1）	σ_f（0.196 N）/MPa	σ_f（2.940 N）/MPa
1	74.5±10.4	66.1±2.2
3	87.7±8.3	68.4±2.0
10	97.9±10.0	70.8±2.8
32	120.8±13.0	74.1±3.1
100	159.3±13.2	76.4±2.0

Fig.5 Logarithmic relationship between fracture stress and stress rate for soda-lime silicate glass

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