SIZE EFFECTS AND SCALING LAWS OF FRACTURE IN ASBESTOS CEMENT.

Size effects on fracture load, fracture stress and strain energy density in an asbestos-cellulose cement composite have been investigated using three point notched bend beams with geometrically scaled dimensions (factor from 1-8), except for thickness which was constant. The normalised crack depths (a/W) vary from 0. 10 to 0. 50. It is found that the unit size beams with a depth (W) of 25 mm are notch insensitive and failure occurs when the net section stress is equal to the modulus of rupture.