Modeling for Distribution of Compressive Stress from Loading Platens in Diametrical Compression Test

Diametrical Compression test is one of indirect tests to investigate the tensile strength of brittle materials. This test is spread because of easiness to perform. However, results from this test are not stable. Traditionally, calculations for this test are performed under a pair of opposite concentrated loading on the diameter of specimen. However, contact areas appear just before fracture of specimen in the fact and the stress distribution from loading platens is not obvious. It seems be one of reasons why the result from this test is not stable. In this study, the attempt to establish the modeling for distribution on loading platens in the diametrical compression test is shown. The aim of this modeling is to calculate stresses and displacement of specimen using complex stress function by Lekhnitskii. Therefore, this model is expanded in Fourier expansion. Accuracy of calculation using Fourier expansion depends on the number of terms. Therefore, the influence of contact area and number of terms to accuracy is also discussed