Toughness of an interface along a thin ductile layer joining elastic solids

The contribution of plastic deformation to the effective work of fracture is computed for a crack lying along one of the interfaces of a thin ductile layer joining two elastic solids. A model is proposed for the joint whose major parameters are the layer thickness, the elastic-plastic properties of material in the layer, and the work of separation and peak separation stress of the local interface fracture process. A symmetric mode I loading of the joint is considered under conditions where the thickness of the layer and the extent of the plastic zone are small compared with the crack length. The crack growth resistance behaviour is computed, with special emphasis on the steady-state work of fracture. The role of the layer thickness in the development of the plasticity contribution to toughness is detailed. Plastic dissipation is fully realized for layers above a certain thickness, characteristic of a plastic zone dimension, and is negligible when the layer is thin relative to this dimension. Other factors which may effect the effective toughness of the joint, such as modulus mismatch of the layer and adherends and residual stress in the layer, are discussed together with limitations and possible extensions of the model.