Fracture analysis of 3D-printed stereolithography parts using the Brazilian disc with a central notch

The benefits of additive manufacturing (AM, i.e., 3D printing) over traditional manufacturing processes have been proved in recent years. Considering applications of this technology in the fabrication of end-use products, it is essential to determine structural integrity and the failure behavior of 3D-printed parts. The current study deals with the fracture behavior and the mechanical strength of 3D-printed Brazilian disc specimens. To this end, the stereolithography (SLA) method is utilized to print Brazilian discs with a central notch. A series of compression tests are performed under different mode mixities. Particularly, the test coupons with different crack orientation angles are tested, which provide different combinations of mode I and mode II. In experimental tests, the strain field on the surface of 3D-printed Brazilian disc specimen is determined using the digital image correlation technique. The findings indicate that by altering β from 0° to 60°, the loading conditions changed from pure mode I to pure mode II. The presented results can be used for next designs of SLA-printed parts, which can be used in diverse applications.