Electric Delayed Fracture and Localized Polarization Switching of Cracked Piezoelectric Ceramics in Three-point Bending

This article discusses the delayed fracture and localized polarization switching near a crack tip in three-point bending piezoceramics under electromechanical loading. We have used finite element analysis to study delayed fracture experiments with single-edge precracked-beam method. A nonlinear finite element analysis was employed to calculate the fracture mechanics parameters such as energy release rate for the permeable, impermeable, and open crack face boundary conditions. Recent proposed energetically consistent boundary conditions were also considered. The effects of applied electric field and localized polarization switching on the fracture mechanics parameters were then examined.