Brazilian test

Dear iMechanicians, I hope that the paper below is of interest, given the wide use this experiment. Essentially, we use the generalised Griffith criterion to determine the crack initiation location in the Brazilian split test, establishing the conditions (jaws geometry and material properties) that lead to a valid test. We find that the range of conditions where the Brazilian test is valid is much narrower than previously thought, with current standards being inappropriate for a wide range of rock-like materials.