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This paper presents the size effect on fracture toughness of polyurethane foams (PUR 40), with nominal density 40 kg/m3, closed-cell rigid foams widely used for sandwich cores. Determination of the fracture toughness was carried out by three-point bending tests (TPB), on notched specimens, at room temperature (20±2ºC). To determine the size effect in Mode I fracture toughness, specimens geometrically similar in two dimensions with length-to-width ratio 5:2 were selected. The specimens were subjected to a quasi-static loading with a speed of 2 mm/min, which was applied exactly on the notch direction. A strong size effect in the closed-cell PUR foam is experimentally demonstrated, by considering a smooth transition between strength of materials approach (with no size effect) and asymptotic case of linear elastic fracture mechanics.
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