In materials science, fracture toughness is a property which describes the

ability of a material to resist fracture, and is one of the most important

properties of any material for many design applications. The linear-elastic
fracture toughness of a material is determined from the stress intensity
factor ({\displaystyle K} ) at which a thin crack in the material begins
to grow. It is denoted KIc and has the units of {\displaystyle
{\text{Pa}}{\sqrt {\rm {m}}}} or {\displaystyle {\text{psi}}{\sqrt
{\rm {in}}}} . Plastic-elastic fracture toughness is denoted by JIc, with
the unit of J/cm2 or lbf-in/in2, and is a measurement of the energy required
to grow a thin crack.
The subscript I denotes mode I crack opening under a normal tensile stress
perpendicular to the crack, since the material can be made deep enough to
stand shear (mode II) or tear (mode III).
Fracture toughness is a quantitative way of expressing a material's
resistance to brittle fracture when a crack is present. A material with high
fracture toughness may undergo ductile fracture as opposed to brittle
fracture. Brittle fracture is characteristic of materials with low fracture
toughness.[1]
Fracture mechanics, which leads to the concept of fracture toughness, was
broadly based on the work of A. A. Griffith who, among other things,
studied the behavior of cracks in brittle materials.
Theory

Standard fracture toughness tests are designed to allow reproducible

determination of the relevant fracture characterising parameter, be it
plane strain fracture toughness, K1C, the J-integral or crack tip opening
displacement, CTOD. Hence certain conditions have to be met in the
tests regarding specimen and crack geometry, loading parameters and
shape of load-displacement curve, before a valid result can be
reported. Bodies like the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) have developed and
published standards for testing of metallic and other materials, and some
specialist organisations have published standards for particular
components, e.g. uPVC water pipe
 In materials science, fracture toughness (KIc) refers to the ability of
a material containing a crack to resist fracture. Specifically, fracture
toughness testing characterizes resistance to fracture in a neutral
environment with a sharp crack, and is one of the most important
properties of any material for virtually all design applications.

Fracture toughness tests measure a material’s ability to resist the growth or propagation
of a pre-existing flaw. The flaw or defect may be in the form of a fatigue crack, void, or
any other inconsistency in the test material. Fracture toughness tests are performed by
machining a test sample with a pre-existing crack and then cyclically applying a load to
each side of the crack so that it experiences forces that cause it to grow. The cyclic load
is applied until the sample’s crack grows. The number of cycles to fracture is recorded
and used to determine the material’s fracture growth characteristics

Purpose of fracture toughness testing:

For the majority of fracture toughness tests there are three different modes of fracture for
crack propagation. Mode 1 requires that the applied load be in the normal direction of the
crack plane. In mode 2 the load is applied along the length of the crack plane. Finally, for
mode 3 the load is applied across the width of the crack plane. Generally, there are two
different configurations for the test sample: single edge notch bend (three-point bending)
and compact tension. A three point bending specimen has the initial crack located at the
midsection on the opposite side from the point where the midsection load is applied with
opposing points of force located at each end on the same side as the crack. A compact
tension specimen is oriented so the load is applied on each side of the crack in a way
that extends the width of the crack.

Types of materials tested with fracture toughness

tests:
Nearly all manufactured materials will contain a defects, flaws or cracks to some magnitude
and may experience fracture due to these inconsistencies and when or if this does occur
the fracture toughness of that material will be exhibited. The materials that are most
commonly tested for fracture toughness are similar to those tested in fatigue tests but have
slightly different orientations. These materials include metals, plastics, ceramics and
composites among others as well as many other rigid substrates that may contain defects.

Selected Test Standards

 ASTM E1290 Fracture Toughness Test Equipment

ASTM E1820 Fracture Toughness Test Equipment for Metals

Testing K1C Value

The KIC test (sometimes referred to as KIC, or K1C) is used to determine

the fracture toughness of metallic materials. This test is in direct contrast
with Charpy Impact Toughness, which can only be used to compare the
notch toughness of materials or determine a metal’s compliance with a
specification. Most often associated with ASTM E399, the Linear-Elastic
Plane Strain Fracture Toughness test (or KIc value) can be used as a direct
measurement across a range of temperatures to determine design, life
calculations and crack growth, or remaining life calculations.