Revisiting Dynamic Fracture in PMMA: The Interplay Between Local and Global Methods

Revisiting Dynamic Fracture in PMMA: The Interplay Between Local and Global Methods | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Revisiting Dynamic Fracture in PMMA: The Interplay Between Local and Global Methods Vincent Fournier, Jérémie Girardot, Jean-Benoit Kopp This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6330423/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 27 Jun, 2025 Read the published version in International Journal of Fracture → Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a benchmark brittle material for dynamic crack propagation studies. Despite extensive research, significant inconsistencies persist in reported fracture parameter values, complicating the establishment of a consensus on their sensitivity to the cracking regime. This study aims to rigorously determine these properties while identifying the origins of these discrepancies. To minimize microbranching effects that can strongly influence fracture surface roughness, crack propagation was restricted to subcritical velocities using a strip-band-specimen (SBS) geometry and a dedicated experimental setup. This approach ensured a quasi-steady propagation regime with minimal inertial effects. Dynamic toughness was evaluated using resistance curves constructed from Williams series expansion and displacement fields obtained via digital image correlation (DIC). Fracture energy was assessed through two complementary methods: a global energy balance and an indirect analytical approach based on Irwin’s generalized relation. Two distinct propagation regimes were identified: a stable regime (90–180 m/s) with smooth fracture surfaces and an unstable regime (180–320 m/s) characterized by the emergence of conical microstructures, followed by a transition to fully disrupted propagation beyond 320 m/s, marking the onset of microbranches. A key outcome of this study is the validation of global fracture energy estimation through the local approach, and vice versa, allowing the derivation of one fracture property from the other–an unprecedented achievement for PMMA in dynamic crack propagation. This was made possible by the experimental setup and specimen geometry, which effectively minimized 1 parasitic effects such as inertia and microbranching. Additionally, the findings confirm a strong correlation between surface roughness and the evolution of fracture energy from the earliest stages of dynamic propagation. Rapid Crack Propagation PMMA Digital Image Correlation Strip Band Specimen Local and global analyses Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 27 Jun, 2025 Read the published version in International Journal of Fracture → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 28 Apr, 2025 Reviews received at journal 22 Apr, 2025 Reviews received at journal 21 Apr, 2025 Reviews received at journal 08 Apr, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 Apr, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Mar, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Mar, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 29 Mar, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 29 Mar, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 29 Mar, 2025 First submitted to journal 28 Mar, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6330423","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":439925390,"identity":"9a9849c2-4e25-4d6d-b282-610d4af17fff","order_by":0,"name":"Vincent Fournier","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Arts et Metiers Institute of Technology, CNRS, UMR 5295","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vincent","middleName":"","lastName":"Fournier","suffix":""},{"id":439925391,"identity":"13257eaa-5571-4588-adde-f0fec3a989fa","order_by":1,"name":"Jérémie Girardot","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Arts et Metiers Institute of Technology, CNRS, UMR 5295","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jérémie","middleName":"","lastName":"Girardot","suffix":""},{"id":439925392,"identity":"640016ba-3494-4fa9-8e45-10e4220fbc94","order_by":2,"name":"Jean-Benoit Kopp","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABAUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACxgYYwQyl+UnQwgyhJRuItooBqsXgAAHVzO3Nzx4w7rDJ42fnP8A4o+JOnvHx3sMffuYwyOHSy9hzzNyA8UxasWQz0JYNZ54Vm505lybZu43BGKeWGQlm0n/bDiduOAzU8hDI2HYjx4yBdxtD4gZcWuY//ybB2PYfoWXz/DfGH/9uY6jHqWUGjxlQywGIlo0g6yR4DKSBtiTg9ktOmQTjmeTEmc3MBgdnAP0icSbHTFp2m4ThTBxaDNuPb5Ng3GGX2M9/8OHDHmCI8befMf74dpuNPB8uLQ1IHKCaAwlQtgR29UAgj8aHaxkFo2AUjIJRAAcA+6xie1TPAF8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Arts et Metiers Institute of Technology, CNRS, UMR 5295","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jean-Benoit","middleName":"","lastName":"Kopp","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-03-28 19:08:12","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6330423/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6330423/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-025-00865-z","type":"published","date":"2025-06-27T15:57:25+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":85686159,"identity":"818bdc83-bf8b-4cad-8b5a-5477d5cecb64","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-30 16:04:04","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":11019967,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PMMAIJF.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6330423/v1_covered_9453f190-c997-463f-a8b9-9b0c1d057805.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Revisiting Dynamic Fracture in PMMA: The Interplay Between Local and Global Methods","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"international-journal-of-fracture","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"frac","sideBox":"Learn more about [International Journal of Fracture](http://link.springer.com/journal/10704)","snPcode":"10704","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10704/3","title":"International Journal of Fracture","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Rapid Crack Propagation, PMMA, Digital Image Correlation, Strip Band Specimen, Local and global analyses","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6330423/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6330423/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a benchmark brittle material for dynamic crack propagation studies. 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