Experimental Analysis of Crack in Hydrogels under Biaxial Strain

Abstract

We experimentally characterize the strain energy release rate (G) and the crack-tip local strain field of a hydrogel under various types of imposed biaxial strain. We also reveal that the features of the local crack-tip strain field, including crack-tip opening displacement, strain field area, strain magnitude resulting from crack opening, are governed exclusively by G, independent of the biaxial loading type.