Critical Fracture Toughness Measurements of an Antarctic Ice Core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christmann, Julia; Müller, Ralf; Webber, Kyle; Isaia, Daniel; Schader, Florian; Kippstuhl, Sepp; Freitag, Johannes; Humbert, Angelika

2014-05-01

Fracture toughness is a material parameter describing the resistance of a pre-existing defect in a body to further crack extension. The fracture toughness of glacial ice as a function of density is important for modeling efforts aspire to predict calving behavior. In the presented experiments this fracture toughness is measured using an ice core from Kohnen Station, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. The samples were sawed in an ice lab at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven at -20°C and had the dimensions of standard test samples with thickness 14 mm, width 28 mm and length 126 mm. The samples originate from a depth of 94.6 m to 96 m. The grain size of the samples was also identified. The grain size was found to be rather uniform. The critical fracture toughness is determined in a four-point bending approach using single edge V-notch beam samples. The initial notch length was around 2.5 mm and was prepared using a drilling machine. The experimental setup was designed at the Institute of Materials Science at Darmstadt. In this setup the force increases linearly, until the maximum force is reached, where the specific sample fractures. This procedure was done in an ice lab with a temperature of -15°C. The equations to calculate the fracture toughness for pure bending are derived from an elastic stress analysis and are given as a standard test method to detect the fracture toughness. An X-ray computer tomography (CT scanner) was used to determine the ice core densities. The tests cover densities from 843 kg m-3 to 871 kg m-3. Thereby the influence of the fracture toughness on the density was analyzed and compared to previous investigations of this material parameter. Finally the dependence of the measured toughness on thickness, width, and position in the core cross-section was investigated.

EFFECT OF TRITIUM AND DECAY HELIUM ON WELDMENT FRACTURE TOUGHNESS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, M; Scott West, S; Michael Tosten, M

2006-09-26

The fracture toughness data collected in this study are needed to assess the long-term effects of tritium and its decay product on tritium reservoirs. The results show that tritium and decay helium have negative effects on the fracture toughness properties of stainless steel and its weldments. The data and report from this study has been included in a material property database for use in tritium reservoir modeling efforts like the Technology Investment Program ''Lifecycle Engineering for Tritium Reservoirs''. A number of conclusions can be drawn from the data: (1) For unexposed Type 304L stainless steel, the fracture toughness of weldmentsmore » was two to three times higher than the base metal toughness. (2) Tritium exposure lowered the fracture toughness properties of both base metals and weldments. This was characterized by lower J{sub Q} values and lower J-da curves. (3) Tritium-exposed-and-aged base metals and weldments had lower fracture toughness values than unexposed ones but still retained good toughness properties.« less

Over-Aging Effect on Fracture Toughness of Beryllium Copper Alloy C17200

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jen, Kei-Peng; Xu, Liqun; Hylinski, Steven; Gildersleeve, Nate

2008-10-01

This study experimentally increased the fracture toughness of Beryllium Copper (CuBe) UNS C17200 alloy using three different age hardening processes. At the same time, the micro- and macro-fracture behavior of this alloy were comprehensively studied. ASTM E399 fracture toughness, tensile, and Charpy impact tests were conducted for all three heat-treated rods. The fracture surfaces were examined under both an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope to investigate the failure mechanisms. Multiple test orientations were considered to explore isotropy. Increasing the temperature and duration at which age hardening was performed increased fracture toughness while decreasing ultimate tensile strength. The maximum fracture toughness was reached on the most overaged specimen, while retaining a serviceable tensile strength. The specimen test data allowed a relationship to be established among Charpy impact toughness, fracture toughness, and yield strength. Analysis of fracture behavior revealed an interesting relationship between fracture toughness and pre-cracking fatigue propagation rate.

A parametric study of fracture toughness of fibrous composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poe, C. C., Jr.

1987-01-01

Impacts to fibrous composite laminates by objects with low velocities can break fibers giving crack-like damage. The damage may not extend completely through a thick laminate. The tension strength of these damage laminates is reduced much like that of cracked metals. The fracture toughness depends on fiber and matrix properties, fiber orientations, and stacking sequence. Accordingly, a parametric study was made to determine how fiber and matrix properties and fiber orientations affect fracture toughness and notch sensitivity. The values of fracture toughness were predicted from the elastic constants of the laminate and the failing strain of the fibers using a general fracture toughness parameter developed previously. For a variety of laminates, values of fracture toughness from tests of center-cracked specimens and values of residual strength from tests of thick laminates with surface cracks were compared to the predictions to give credibility to the study. In contrast to the usual behavior of metals, it is shown that both ultimate tensile strength and fracture toughness of composites can be increased without increasing notch sensitivity.

Microstructure and fracture toughness of Mn-stabilized cubic titanium trialuminide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zbroniec, Leszek Ireneusz

This thesis project is related to the fracture toughness aspects of the mechanical behavior of the selected Mn-modified cubic Ll2 titanium trialuminicles. Fracture toughness was evaluated using two specimen types: Single-Edge-Precracked-Beam (SEPB) and Chevron-Notched-Beam (CNB). The material tested was in cast, homogenized and HIP-ed condition. In the preliminary stage of the project due to lack of the ASTM Standard for fracture toughness testing of the chevron-notched specimens in bending the analyses of the CNB configuration were done to establish the optimal chevron notch dimensions. Two types of alloys were investigated: (a) boron-free and boron doped low-Mn (9at.% Mn), as well as (b) boron-free and boron-doped high-Mn (14at.% Mn). Toughness was investigated in the temperature range from room temperature to 1000°C and was calculated from the maximum load. It has been found that toughness of coarse-grained "base" 9Mn-25Ti alloy exhibits a broad peak at the 200--500°C temperature range and then decreases with increasing temperature, reaching its room temperature value at 10000°C. However, the work of fracture (gammaWOF) and the stress intensity factor calculated from it (KIWOF) increases continuously with increasing temperature. Also the fracture mode dependence on temperature has been established. To understand the effect of environment on the fracture toughness of coarse-grained "base", boron-free 9Mn-25Ti alloy, the tests were carried out in vacuum (˜1.3 x 10-5 Pa), argon, oxygen, water and liquid nitrogen. It has been shown that fracture toughness at ambient temperature is not affected by the environments containing moisture (water vapor). It seems that at ambient temperatures these materials are completely immune to the water-vapor hydrogen embrittlement and their cause of brittleness is other than environment. To explore the influence of the grain size on fracture toughness the fracture toughness tests were also performed on the dynamically

Fracture toughness of ultrashort pulse-bonded fused silica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, S.; Naumann, F.; Zimmermann, F.; Tünnermann, A.; Nolte, S.

2016-02-01

We determined the bond interface strength of ultrashort pulse laser-welded fused silica for different processing parameters. To this end, we used a high repetition rate ultrashort pulse laser system to inscribe parallel welding lines with a specific V-shaped design into optically contacted fused silica samples. Afterward, we applied a micro-chevron test to measure the fracture toughness and surface energy of the laser-inscribed welding seams. We analyzed the influence of different processing parameters such as laser repetition rate and line separation on the fracture toughness and fracture surface energy. Welding the entire surface a fracture toughness of 0.71 {MPa} {m}^{1/2}, about 90 % of the pristine bulk material ({≈ } 0.8 {MPa} {m}^{1/2}), is obtained.

Fracture-Toughness Analysis in Transition-Temperature Region of Three American Petroleum Institute X70 and X80 Pipeline Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Sang Yong; Woo, Kuk Je; Hwang, Byoungchul; Kim, Sangho; Lee, Sunghak

2009-04-01

The fracture toughness in the transition-temperature region of three American Petroleum Institute (API) X70 and X80 pipeline steels was analyzed in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E1921-05 standard test method. The elastic-plastic cleavage fracture toughness ( K Jc ) was determined by three-point bend tests, using precracked Charpy V-notch (PCVN) specimens; the measured K Jc values were then interpreted by the three-parameter Weibull distribution. The fracture-toughness test results indicated that the master curve and the 98 pct confidence curves explained the variation in the measured fracture toughness well. The reference temperatures obtained from the fracture-toughness test and index temperatures obtained from the Charpy impact test were lowest in the X70 steel rolled in the two-phase region, because this steel had smaller effective grains and the lowest volume fraction of hard phases. In this steel, few hard phases led to a higher resistance to cleavage crack initiation, and the smaller effective grain size led to a higher possibility of crack arrest, thereby resulting in the best overall fracture properties. Measured reference temperatures were then comparatively analyzed with the index temperatures obtained from the Charpy impact test, and the effects of microstructures on these temperatures were discussed.

Fracture toughness of advanced ceramics at room temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, George D.; Salem, Jonathan; Bar-On, Isa; Cho, Kyu; Foley, Michael; Fang, HO

1992-01-01

Results of round-robin fracture toughness tests on advanced ceramics are reported. A gas-pressure silicon nitride and a zirconia-toughened alumina were tested using three test methods: indentation fracture, indentation strength, and single-edge precracked beam. The latter two methods have produced consistent results. The interpretation of fracture toughness test results for the zirconia alumina composite is shown to be complicated by R-curve and environmentally assisted crack growth phenomena.

The feasibility of ranking material fracture toughness by ultrasonic attenuation measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.

1975-01-01

A preliminary study was conducted to assess the feasibility of ultrasonically ranking material fracture toughness. Specimens of two grades of maraging steel for which fracture toughness values were measured were subjected to ultrasonic probing. The slope of the attenuation coefficient vs frequency curve was empirically correlated with the plane strain fracture toughness value for each grade of steel.

The feasibility of ranking material fracture toughness by ultrasonic attenuation measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.

1975-01-01

A preliminary study was conducted to assess the feasibility of ultrasonically ranking material fracture toughness. Specimens of two grades of maraging steel for which fracture toughness values were measured were subjected to ultrasonic probing. The slope of the attenuation coefficient versus frequency curve was empirically correlated with the plane strain fracture toughness value for each grade of steel.

Assessments of Fracture Toughness of Monolithic Ceramics-SEPB Versus SEVNB Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Gyekenyesi, John P.

2006-01-01

Fracture toughness of a total of 13 advanced monolithic ceramics including silicon nitrides, silicon carbide, aluminas, and glass ceramic was determined at ambient temperature by using both single edge precracked beam (SEPB) and single edge v-notched beam (SEVNB) methods. Relatively good agreement in fracture toughness between the two methods was observed for advanced ceramics with flat R-curves; whereas, poor agreement in fracture toughness was seen for materials with rising R-curves. The discrepancy in fracture toughness between the two methods was due to stable crack growth with crack closure forces acting in the wake region of cracks even in SEVNB test specimens. The effect of discrepancy in fracture toughness was analyzed in terms of microstructural feature (grain size and shape), toughening exponent in R-curve, and stable crack growth determined using back-face strain gaging.

References and conference proceedings towards the understanding of fracture mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toor, P. M.; Hudson, C. M.

1986-01-01

A list of books, reports, periodicals, and conference proceedings, as well as individual papers, centered on specific aspects of fracture phenomenon has been compiled by the ASTM Committee E-24 on Fracture Testing. A list of basic references includes the articles on the development of fracture toughness, evaluation of stress intensity factors, fatigue crack growth, fracture testing, fracture of brittle materials, and fractography. Special attention is given to the references on application of fracture mechanics to new designs and on reevaluation of failed designs, many of them concerned with naval and aircraft structures.

Semi-interpenetrating polymer network's of polyimides: Fracture toughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, Marion Glenn

1988-01-01

The objective was to improve the fracture toughness of the PMR-15 thermosetting polyimide by co-disolving LaRC-TPI, a thermoplastic polyimide. The co-solvation of a thermoplastic into a thermoset produces an interpenetration of the thermoplastic polymer into the thermoset polyimide network. A second research program was planned around the concept that to improve the fracture toughness of a thermoset polyimide polymer, the molecular weight between crosslink points would be an important macromolecular topological parameter in producing a fracture toughened semi-IPN polyimide.

Fracture toughness testing data: A technology survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stuhrke, W. F.; Carpenter, J. L., Jr.

1975-01-01

Technical abstracts for about 90 significant documents relating to fracture toughness testing for various structural materials including information on plane strain and the developing areas of mixed mode and plane stress test conditions are presented. An overview of the state-of-the-art represented in the documents that have been abstracted is included. The abstracts in the report are mostly for publications in the period April 1962 through April 1974. The purpose of this report is to provide, in quick reference form, a dependable source for current information in the subject field.

Mode I Fracture Toughness of Rock - Intrinsic Property or Pressure-Dependent?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoeckhert, F.; Brenne, S.; Molenda, M.; Alber, M.

2016-12-01

The mode I fracture toughness of rock is usually regarded as an intrinsic material parameter independent of pressure. However, most fracture toughness laboratory tests are conducted only at ambient pressure. To investigate fracture toughness of rock under elevated pressures, sleeve fracturing laboratory experiments were conducted with various rock types and a new numerical method was developed for the evaluation of these experiments. The sleeve fracturing experiments involve rock cores with central axial boreholes that are placed in a Hoek triaxial pressure cell to apply an isostatic confining pressure. A polymere tube is pressurized inside these hollow rock cylinders until they fail by tensile fracturing. Numerical simulations incorporating fracture mechanical models are used to obtain a relation between tensile fracture propagation and injection pressure. These simulations indicate that the magnitude of the injection pressure at specimen failure is only depending on the fracture toughness of the tested material, the specimen dimensions and the magnitude of external loading. The latter two are known parameters in the experiments. Thus, the fracture toughness can be calculated from the injection pressure recorded at specimen breakdown. All specimens had a borehole diameter to outer diameter ratio of about 1:10 with outer diameters of 40 and 62 mm. The length of the specimens was about two times the diameter. Maximum external loading was 7.5 MPa corresponding to maximum injection pressures at specimen breakdown of about 100 MPa. The sample set tested in this work includes Permian and Carboniferous sandstones, Jurassic limestones, Triassic marble, Permian volcanic rocks and Devonian slate from Central Europe. The fracture toughness values determined from the sleeve fracturing experiments without confinement using the new numerical method were found to be in good agreement with those from Chevron bend testing according to the ISRM suggested methods. At elevated

Fracture Toughness of Advanced Ceramics at Room Temperature

PubMed Central

Quinn, George D.; Salem, Jonathan; Bar-on, Isa; Cho, Kyu; Foley, Michael; Fang, Ho

1992-01-01

This report presents the results obtained by the five U.S. participating laboratories in the Versailles Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) round-robin for fracture toughness of advanced ceramics. Three test methods were used: indentation fracture, indentation strength, and single-edge pre-cracked beam. Two materials were tested: a gas-pressure sintered silicon nitride and a zirconia toughened alumina. Consistent results were obtained with the latter two test methods. Interpretation of fracture toughness in the zirconia alumina composite was complicated by R-curve and environmentally-assisted crack growth phenomena. PMID:28053447

Application of fracture toughness scaling models to the ductile-to- brittle transition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Link, R.E.; Joyce, J.A.

1996-01-01

An experimental investigation of fracture toughness in the ductile-brittle transition range was conducted. A large number of ASTM A533, Grade B steel, bend and tension specimens with varying crack lengths were tested throughout the transition region. Cleavage fracture toughness scaling models were utilized to correct the data for the loss of constraint in short crack specimens and tension geometries. The toughness scaling models were effective in reducing the scatter in the data, but tended to over-correct the results for the short crack bend specimens. A proposed ASTM Test Practice for Fracture Toughness in the Transition Range, which employs a mastermore » curve concept, was applied to the results. The proposed master curve over predicted the fracture toughness in the mid-transition and a modified master curve was developed that more accurately modeled the transition behavior of the material. Finally, the modified master curve and the fracture toughness scaling models were combined to predict the as-measured fracture toughness of the short crack bend and the tension specimens. It was shown that when the scaling models over correct the data for loss of constraint, they can also lead to non-conservative estimates of the increase in toughness for low constraint geometries.« less

Effect of environment on fracture toughness of 96 wt pct alumina

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Tikare, Veena; Salem, Jonathan A.

1993-01-01

An effort is made to deepen understanding of environmental effects on the fracture toughness of an alumina composition that contains a residual glassy phase, by ascertaining the fracture toughness under atmospheric conditions in such varied environments as air distilled water, silicone oil, and liquid nitrogen. Fracture toughness was determined via the single-edge-precracked beam technique. Weibull strength parameters are compared for polished specimens tested both in air and silicone environments.

On the feasibility of quantitative ultrasonic determination of fracture toughness: A literature review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, L. S.

1980-01-01

The three main topics covered are: (1) fracture toughness and microstructure, (2) quantitative ultrasonic and microstructure; and (3) scattering and related mathematical methods. Literature in these areas is reviewed to give insight to the search of a theoretical foundation for quantitative ultrasonic measurement of fracture toughness. The literature review shows that fracture toughness is inherently related to the microstructure and in particular, it depends upon the spacing of inclusions or second particles and the aspect ratio of second phase particles. There are indications that ultrasonic velocity attenuation measurements can be used to determine fracture toughness. The leads to a review of the mathematical models available in solving boundary value problems related to microstructural factors that govern facture toughness and wave motion. A framework towards the theoretical study for the quantitative determination of fracture toughness is described and suggestions for future research are proposed.

Effect of cryogenic treatment on the fracture toughness of aircraft aluminum alloy 7075

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermishkin, V. A.; Soloveva, Y. B.

2018-04-01

Influence of three types of the treatment on fracture toughness of the Al-7075 alloy was investigated in this study. Commercial Al-7075 alloy in the solid solution heat-treated condition was processed by hardening with post-cryogenic deformation treatment and PVD deposition titanium and copper coatings. The fracture toughness was estimated with using macroscopic and microscopic approaches. The conditions for the coincidence of the fracture toughness estimates between brittle fracture mechanics and the photometric analysis of structural images (PHASI) methods were achieved. The highest fracture toughness was obtained by applying hardening, cryogenic compression, ageing and deposition of the Ti-coating, leading to dispersion particles precipitation.

Effect of Elevated Temperature and Loading Rate on Delamination Fracture Toughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeder, J. R.; Allen, D. H.; Bradley, W. L.

2003-01-01

The effects of temperature and loading rate on delamination growth were studied. The delamination fracture toughness of IM7/K3B was measured at 149 C, 177 C, and 204 C. At each temperature the tests were performed with a variety of loading rates so that the delamination initiated over the range of time from 0.5 sec to 24 hrs. The double cantilever beam (DCB) test was used to measure fracture toughness. The results showed that the delamination resistance is a complicated function of both time and temperature with the effect of temperature either increasing or decreasing the fracture toughness depending on the time scale. The results also showed that the fracture toughness changed by as much as a factor of three as the time scale changed over the five orders of magnitude tested.

Fracture toughness and the master curve for modified 9Cr-1Mo steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Ji-Hyun; Yoon, Eui-Pak

2006-12-01

Modified 9Cr-1Mo steel is a primary candidate material for the reactor pressure vessel of a Very High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR) in the Korean Nuclear Hydrogen Development and Demonstration (NHDD) program. In this study, the T0 reference temperature, J-R fracture resistance and Charpy impact properties were evaluated for commercial Grade 91 steel as part of the preliminary testing for a selection of the RPV material for the VHTR. The fracture toughness of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel was compared with that of SA508-Gr.3. The objective of this study was to obtain the pre-irradiation fracture toughness properties of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel as reference data for an investigation of radiation effects. Charpy impact properties of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel were similar to those of SA508-Gr.3. T0 reference temperatures were measured as -67.7 and -72.4°C from the tests with standard PCVN (pre-cracked Charpy V-notch) and half-sized PCVN specimens respectively, which were similar to the results for SA508-Gr.3. The KJc values of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel with the test temperatures are successfully expressed by the Master Curve. The J-R fracture resistance of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel at room temperature was nearly identical to that of SA508-Gr.3; in contrast, it was slightly higher at an elevated temperature.

Fracture Toughness to Understand Stretch-Flangeability and Edge Cracking Resistance in AHSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casellas, Daniel; Lara, Antoni; Frómeta, David; Gutiérrez, David; Molas, Sílvia; Pérez, Lluís; Rehrl, Johannes; Suppan, Clemens

2017-01-01

The edge fracture is considered as a high risk for automotive parts, especially for parts made of advanced high strength steels (AHSS). The limited ductility of AHSS makes them more sensitive to the edge damage. The traditional approaches, such as those based on ductility measurements or forming limit diagrams, are unable to predict this type of fractures. Thus, stretch-flangeability has become an important formability parameter in addition to tensile and formability properties. The damage induced in sheared edges in AHSS parts affects stretch-flangeability, because the generated microcracks propagate from the edge. Accordingly, a fracture mechanics approach may be followed to characterize the crack propagation resistance. With this aim, this work addresses the applicability of fracture toughness as a tool to understand crack-related problems, as stretch-flangeability and edge cracking, in different AHSS grades. Fracture toughness was determined by following the essential work of fracture methodology and stretch-flangeability was characterized by means of hole expansions tests. Results show a good correlation between stretch-flangeability and fracture toughness. It allows postulating fracture toughness, measured by the essential work of fracture methodology, as a key material property to rationalize crack propagation phenomena in AHSS.

The development of in situ fracture toughness evaluation techniques in hydrogen environment

DOE PAGES

Wang, John Jy-An; Ren, Fei; Tan, Tin; ...

2014-12-19

Reliability of hydrogen pipelines and storage tanks is significantly influenced by the mechanical performance of the structural materials exposed in the hydrogen environment. Fracture behavior and fracture toughness are of specific interest since they are relevant to many catastrophic failures. However, many conventional fracture testing techniques are difficult to be realized under the presence of hydrogen. Thus it is desired to develop novel in situ techniques to study the fracture behavior of structural materials in hydrogen environments. In this study, special testing apparatus were designed to facilitate in situ fracture testing in H 2. A torsional fixture was developed tomore » utilize an emerging fracture testing technique, Spiral Notch Torsion Test (SNTT). The design concepts will be discussed. Preliminary in situ testing results indicated that the exposure to H 2 significantly reduces the fracture toughness of 4340 high strength steels by up to 50 percent. Furthermore, SNTT tests conducted in air demonstrated a significant fracture toughness reduction in samples subject to simulated welding heat treatment using Gleeble, which illustrated the effect of welding on the fracture toughness of this material.« less

Fracture toughness testing on ferritic alloys using the electropotential technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, F.H.; Wire, G.L.

1981-06-11

Fracture toughness measurements as done conventionally require large specimens (5 x 5 x 2.5 cm) which would be prohibitively expensive to irradiate over the fluence and temperature ranges required for first wall design. To overcome this difficulty a single specimen technique for J intergral fracture toughness measurements on miniature specimens (1.6 cm OD x 0.25 cm thick) was developed. Comparisons with specimens three times as thick show that the derived J/sub 1c/ is constant, validating the specimen for first wall applications. The electropotential technique was used to obtain continuous crack extension measurements, allowing a ductile fracture resistence curve to bemore » constructed from a single specimen. The irradiation test volume required for fracture toughness measurements using both miniature specimens and single specimen J measurements was reduced a factor of 320, making it possible to perform a systematic exploration of irradiation temperature and dose variables as required for qualification of HT-9 and 9Cr-1Mo base metal and welds for first wall application. Fracture toughness test results for HT-9 and 9Cr-1Mo from 25 to 539/sup 0/C are presented to illustrate the single specimen technique.« less

How tough is bone? Application of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics to bone.

PubMed

Yan, Jiahau; Mecholsky, John J; Clifton, Kari B

2007-02-01

Bone, with a hierarchical structure that spans from the nano-scale to the macro-scale and a composite design composed of nano-sized mineral crystals embedded in an organic matrix, has been shown to have several toughening mechanisms that increases its toughness. These mechanisms can stop, slow, or deflect crack propagation and cause bone to have a moderate amount of apparent plastic deformation before fracture. In addition, bone contains a high volumetric percentage of organics and water that makes it behave nonlinearly before fracture. Many researchers used strength or critical stress intensity factor (fracture toughness) to characterize the mechanical property of bone. However, these parameters do not account for the energy spent in plastic deformation before bone fracture. To accurately describe the mechanical characteristics of bone, we applied elastic-plastic fracture mechanics to study bone's fracture toughness. The J integral, a parameter that estimates both the energies consumed in the elastic and plastic deformations, was used to quantify the total energy spent before bone fracture. Twenty cortical bone specimens were cut from the mid-diaphysis of bovine femurs. Ten of them were prepared to undergo transverse fracture and the other 10 were prepared to undergo longitudinal fracture. The specimens were prepared following the apparatus suggested in ASTM E1820 and tested in distilled water at 37 degrees C. The average J integral of the transverse-fractured specimens was found to be 6.6 kPa m, which is 187% greater than that of longitudinal-fractured specimens (2.3 kPa m). The energy spent in the plastic deformation of the longitudinal-fractured and transverse-fractured bovine specimens was found to be 3.6-4.1 times the energy spent in the elastic deformation. This study shows that the toughness of bone estimated using the J integral is much greater than the toughness measured using the critical stress intensity factor. We suggest that the J integral method is

Observations in Fracture Toughness Testing of Glasses and Optical Ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salem, Jon

2017-01-01

Fracture toughness is a critical structural design parameter and an excellent metrics to rank materials. Itdetermines fracture strength by way of the flaws, both inherent and induced, and defines the endpoint of the slow crackgrowth curve. The fracture toughness of structural and optical ceramics, and glasses as measured by several techniques is compared. When good metrology is employed, the results are very comparable with two exceptions: materials exhibiting crack growth resistance and those with a low SCG exponents. For materials with R-curves, the result is a function of extension and can be minimized with short cracks. For materials with low SCG exponents, such as glasses, elimination of the corrosive media andor increasing the stress intensity rate minimizes effects. A summary of values is given, and it appears that highly modified glasses exhibit lower fracture toughness and slow crack growth exponent than high purity glasses such as fused silica.

Heavy section fracture toughness screening specimen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shannon, J. L., Jr.; Donald, J. K.; Brown, W. F., Jr.

1976-01-01

Size requirements for a pin loaded double edge notch + crack tension specimen proposed for fracture toughness screening heavy section alloys were studied. Ranking of eight selected alloys based on the specimen's net strength was compared with that based on the valid plane strain fracture toughness separately determined. Performance of the specimen was judged on the basis of that comparison. The specimen's net strength was influenced by three critical specimen dimensions: distance between the crack plane and the loading hole, specimen width, and specimen thickness. Interaction between the stress fields of the crack and the loading holes reduced the net strength, but this effect disappeared as the separation reached a dimension equal to the specimen width. The effects of specimen width and thickness are interrelated and affect the net strength through their influence on the development of the crack tip plastic zone.

TRITIUM AND DECAY HELIUM EFFECTS ON THE FRACTURE TOUGHNESS PROPERTIES OF STAINLESS STEEL WELDMENTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, M; Scott West, S; Michael Tosten, M

2007-08-31

J-Integral fracture toughness tests were conducted on tritium-exposed-and-aged Types 304L and 21-6-9 stainless steel weldments in order to measure the combined effects of tritium and its decay product, helium-3 on the fracture toughness properties. Initially, weldments have fracture toughness values about three times higher than base-metal values. Delta-ferrite phase in the weld microstructure improved toughness provided no tritium was present in the microstructure. After a tritium-exposure-and-aging treatment that resulted in {approx}1400 atomic parts per million (appm) dissolved tritium, both weldments and base metals had their fracture toughness values reduced to about the same level. The tritium effect was greater inmore » weldments (67 % reduction vs. 37% reduction) largely because the ductile discontinuous delta-ferrite interfaces were embrittled by tritium and decay helium. Fracture toughness values decreased for both base metals and weldments with increasing decay helium content in the range tested (50-200 appm).« less

Fracture Toughness (KIC) of Lithography Based Manufactured Alumina Ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nindhia, T. G. T.; Schlacher, J.; Lube, T.

2018-04-01

Precision shaped ceramic components can be obtained by an emerging technique called Lithography based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM). A green part is made from a slurry consisting of a ceramic powder in a photocurable binder with addition of dispersant and plasticizer. Components are built in a layer–by-layer way by exposing the desired cross- sections to light. The parts are subsequently sintered to their final density. It is a challenge to produce ceramic component with this method that yield the same mechanical properties in all direction. The fracture toughness (KIc) of of LCM-alumina (prepared at LITHOZ GmbH, Austria) was tested by using the Single-Edge-V-Notched Beam (SEVNB) method. Notches are made into prismatic bend-bars in all three direction X, Y and Z to recognize the value of fracture toughness of the material in all three directions. The microstructure was revealed with optical microscopy as well as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the fracture toughness in Y-direction has the highest value (3.10 MPam1/2) that is followed by the one in X-direction which is just a bit lower (2.90 MPam1/2). The Z-direction is found to have a similar fracture toughness (2.95 MPam1/2). This is supported by a homogeneous microstructure showing no hint of the layers used during production.

Dynamic fracture toughness of ASME SA508 Class 2a ASME SA533 grade A Class 2 base and heat affected zone material and applicable weld metals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Logsdon, W.A.; Begley, J.A.; Gottshall, C.L.

1978-03-01

The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Article G-2000, requires that dynamic fracture toughness data be developed for materials with specified minimum yield strengths greater than 50 ksi to provide verification and utilization of the ASME specified minimum reference toughness K/sub IR/ curve. In order to qualify ASME SA508 Class 2a and ASME SA533 Grade A Class 2 pressure vessel steels (minimum yield strengths equal 65 kip/in./sup 2/ and 70 kip/in./sup 2/, respectively) per this requirement, dynamic fracture toughness tests were performed on these materials. All dynamic fracture toughness values of SA508 Class 2a base and HAZ material,more » SA533 Grade A Class 2 base and HAZ material, and applicable weld metals exceeded the ASME specified minimum reference toughness K/sub IR/ curve.« less

Fracture toughness and the effects of stress state on fracture of nickel aluminides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewandowski, John J.; Michal, Gary M.; Locci, Ivan; Rigney, Joseph D.

1991-01-01

The effects of stress state on the fracture behavior of Ni3Al, Ni3Al + B, and NiAl were determined using either notched or fatigue-precracked bend bars tested to failure at room temperature, in addition to testing specimens in tension under superposed hydrostatic pressure. Although Ni3Al is observed to fail in a macroscopically brittle intergranular manner in tension tests conducted at room temperature, the fracture toughnesses presently obtained on Ni3Al exceeded 20 MPam, and R-curve behavior was exhibited. In situ monitoring of the fracture experiments was utilized to aid in interpreting the source(s) of the high toughness in Ni3Al, while SEM fractography was utilized to determine the operative fracture modes. The superposition by hydrostatic pressure during tensile testing of NiAl specimens was observed to produce increased ductility without changing the fracture mode.

Master Curve and Conventional Fracture Toughness of Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ji-Hyun, Yoon; Sung-Ho, Kim; Bong-Sang, Lee

2006-07-01

Modified 9Cr-1Mo steel is a primary candidate material for reactor pressure vessel of Very High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR) in Korean Nuclear Hydrogen Development and Demonstration (NHDD) program. In this study, T0 reference temperature, J-R fracture resistance and Charpy impact properties were evaluated for commercial Grade 91 steel as preliminary tests for the selection of the RPV material for VHTR. The fracture toughness of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel was compared with those of SA508-Gr.3. The objective of this study was to obtain pre-irradiation fracture toughness properties of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel as reference data for the radiation effects investigation. The resultsmore » are as follows. Charpy impact properties of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel were similar to those of SA508-Gr.3. T0 reference temperatures were measured as -67.7 deg C and -72.4 deg C from the tests with standard PCVN (pre-cracked Charpy V-notch) and half sized PCVN specimens respectively, which were similar to results for SA508-Gr.3. The K{sub Jc} values of modified 9Cr-1Mo with test temperatures are successfully expressed with the Master Curve. The J-R fracture resistance of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel at room temperature was almost the same as that of SA508-Gr.3. On the other hand it was a little bit higher at an elevated temperature. (authors)« less

Fracture toughness and crack growth of Zerodur

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viens, Michael J.

1990-01-01

The fracture toughness and crack growth parameters of Zerodur, a low expansion glass ceramic material, were determined. The fracture toughness was determined using indentation techniques and was found to be 0.9 MPa x m(sup 1/2). The crack growth parameters were determined using indented biaxial specimens subjected to static and dynamic loading in an aqueous environment. The crack growth parameters n and 1n(B) were found to be 30.7 and -6.837, respectively. The crack growth parameters were also determined using indented biaxial specimens subjected to dynamic loading in an ambient 50 percent relative humidity environment. The crack growth parameters n and 1n(B) at 50 percent relative humidity were found to be 59.3 and -17.51, respectively.

Interlaminar fracture toughness of thermoplastic composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinkley, J. A.; Johnston, N. J.; Obrien, T. K.

1988-01-01

Edge delamination tension and double cantilever beam tests were used to characterize the interlaminar fracture toughness of continuous graphite-fiber composites made from experimental thermoplastic polyimides and a model thermoplastic. Residual thermal stresses, known to be significant in materials processed at high temperatures, were included in the edge delamination calculations. In the model thermoplastic system (polycarbonate matrix), surface properties of the graphite fiber were shown to be significant. Critical strain energy release rates for two different fibers having similar nominal tensile properties differed by 30 to 60 percent. The reason for the difference is not clear. Interlaminar toughness values for the thermoplastic polyimide composites (LARC-TPI and polyimidesulfone) were 3 to 4 in-lb/sq in. Scanning electron micrographs of the EDT fracture surfaces suggest poor fiber/matrix bonding. Residual thermal stresses account for up to 32 percent of the strain energy release in composites made from these high-temperature resins.

Effects of electric field on the fracture toughness (KIc) of ceramic PZT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goljahi, Sam; Lynch, Christopher S.

2013-09-01

This work was motivated by the observation that a small percentage of the ceramic lead zirconate titanate (PZT) parts in a device application, one that requires an electrode pattern on the PZT surface, developed fatigue cracks at the edges of the electrodes; yet all of the parts were subjected to similar loading. To obtain additional information on the fracture behavior of this material, similar specimens were run at higher voltage in the laboratory under a microscope to observe the initiation and growth of the fatigue cracks. A sequence of experiments was next performed to determine whether there were fracture toughness variations that depended on material processing. Plates were cut from a single bar in different locations and the Vickers indentation technique was used to measure the relative fracture toughness as a function of position along the bar. Small variations in toughness were found, that may account for some of the devices developing fatigue cracks and not others. Fracture toughness was measured next as a function of electric field. The surface crack in flexure technique was modified to apply an electric field perpendicular to a crack. The results indicate that the fracture toughness drops under a positive electric field and increases under a negative electric field that is less than the coercive field, but as the negative coercive field is approached the fracture toughness drops. Examination of the fracture surfaces using an optical microscope and a surface profilometer reveal the initial indentation crack shape and (although less accurately) the crack shape and size at the transition from stable to unstable growth. These results are discussed in terms of a ferroelastic toughening mechanism that is dependent on electric field.

The shear fracture toughness, KIIc, of graphite

DOE PAGES

Burchell, Timothy D.; Erdman, III, Donald L.

2015-11-05

In this study, the critical shear stress intensity factor, KIIc, here-in referred to as the shear fracture toughness, KIIc (MPa m), of two grades of graphite are reported. The range of specimen volumes was selected to elucidate any specimen size effect, but smaller volume specimen tests were largely unsuccessful, shear failure did not occur between the notches as expected. This was probably due to the specimen geometry causing the shear fracture stress to exceed the compressive failure stress. In subsequent testing the specimen geometry was altered to reduce the compressive footprint and the notches (slits) made deeper to reduce themore » specimen's ligament length. Additionally, we added the collection of Acoustic Emission (AE) during testing to assist with the identification of the shear fracture load. The means of KIIc from large specimens for PCEA and NBG-18 are 2.26 MPa m with an SD of 0.37 MPa m and 2.20 MPa m with an SD of 0.53 MPa m, respectively. The value of KIIc for both graphite grades was similar, although the scatter was large. In this work we found the ratio of KIIc/ KIc ≈ 1.6. .« less

The Influence of Specimen Type on Tensile Fracture Toughness of Rock Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aliha, Mohammad Reza Mohammad; Mahdavi, Eqlima; Ayatollahi, Majid Reza

2017-03-01

Up to now, several methods have been proposed to determine the mode I fracture toughness of rocks. In this research, different cylindrical and disc shape samples, namely: chevron bend (CB), short rod (SR), cracked chevron notched Brazilian disc (CCNBD), and semi-circular bend (SCB) specimens were considered for investigating mode I fracture behavior of a marble rock. It is shown experimentally that the fracture toughness values of the tested rock material obtained from different test specimens are not consistent. Indeed, depending on the geometry and loading type of the specimen, noticeable discrepancies can be observed for the fracture toughness of a same rock material. The difference between the experimental mode I fracture resistance results is related to the magnitude and sign of T-stress that is dependent on the geometry and loading configuration of the specimen. For the chevron-notched samples, the critical value of T-stress corresponding to the critical crack length was determined using the finite element method. The CCNBD and SR specimens had the most negative and positive T-stress values, respectively. The dependency of mode I fracture resistance to the T-stress was shown using the extended maximum tangential strain (EMTSN) criterion and the obtained experimental rock fracture toughness data were predicted successfully with this criterion.

The Loss of Activating Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4) Reduces Bone Toughness and Fracture Toughness

PubMed Central

Makowski, Alexander J.; Uppuganti, Sasidhar; Waader, Sandra A.; Whitehead, Jack M.; Rowland, Barbara J.; Granke, Mathilde; Mahadevan-Jansen, Anita; Yang, Xiangli; Nyman, Jeffry S.

2014-01-01

Even though age-related changes to bone tissue affecting fracture risk are well characterized, only a few matrix-related factors have been identified as important to maintaining fracture resistance. As a gene critical to osteoblast differentiation, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is possibly one of the seimportant factors. To test the hypothesis that the loss of ATF4 affects the fracture resistance of bone beyond bone mass and structure, we harvested bones from Atf4+/+ and Atf4−/− littermates at 8 and 20 weeks of age (n≥9 per group) for bone assessment across several length scales. From whole bone mechanical tests in bending, femurs from Atf4−/− mice were found to be brittle with reduced toughness and fracture toughness compared to femurs from Atf4+/+ mice. However, there were no differences in material strength and in tissue hardness, as determined by nanoindentation, between the genotypes, irrespective age. Tissue mineral density of the cortex at the point of loading as determined by micro-computed tomography was also not significantly different. However, by analyzing local composition by Raman Spectroscopy (RS), bone tissue of Atf4−/− mice was found to have higher mineral to collagen ratio compared to wild-type tissue, primarily at 20 weeks of age. From RS analysis of intact femurs at 2 orthogonal orientations relative to the polarization axis of the laser, we also found that the organizational-sensitive peak ratio, ν1 Phosphate per Amide I, changed to a greater extent upon bone rotation for Atf4-deficient tissue, implying bone matrix organization may contribute to the brittleness phenotype. Target genes of ATF4 activity are not only important to osteoblast differentiation but also maintaining bone toughness and fracture toughness. PMID:24509412

The loss of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) reduces bone toughness and fracture toughness.

PubMed

Makowski, Alexander J; Uppuganti, Sasidhar; Wadeer, Sandra A; Whitehead, Jack M; Rowland, Barbara J; Granke, Mathilde; Mahadevan-Jansen, Anita; Yang, Xiangli; Nyman, Jeffry S

2014-05-01

Even though age-related changes to bone tissue affecting fracture risk are well characterized, only a few matrix-related factors have been identified as important to maintaining fracture resistance. As a gene critical to osteoblast differentiation, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is possibly one of these important factors. To test the hypothesis that the loss of ATF4 affects the fracture resistance of bone beyond bone mass and structure, we harvested bones from Atf4+/+ and Atf4-/- littermates at 8 and 20 weeks of age (n≥9 per group) for bone assessment across several length scales. From whole bone mechanical tests in bending, femurs from Atf4-/- mice were found to be brittle with reduced toughness and fracture toughness compared to femurs from Atf4+/+ mice. However, there were no differences in material strength and in tissue hardness, as determined by nanoindentation, between the genotypes, irrespective of age. Tissue mineral density of the cortex at the point of loading as determined by micro-computed tomography was also not significantly different. However, by analyzing local composition by Raman Spectroscopy (RS), bone tissue of Atf4-/- mice was found to have higher mineral to collagen ratio compared to wild-type tissue, primarily at 20 weeks of age. From RS analysis of intact femurs at 2 orthogonal orientations relative to the polarization axis of the laser, we also found that the organizational-sensitive peak ratio, ν1Phosphate per Amide I, changed to a greater extent upon bone rotation for Atf4-deficient tissue, implying bone matrix organization may contribute to the brittleness phenotype. Target genes of ATF4 activity are not only important to osteoblast differentiation but also in maintaining bone toughness and fracture toughness. Published by Elsevier Inc.

TOUGH-RBSN simulator for hydraulic fracture propagation within fractured media: Model validations against laboratory experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kunhwi; Rutqvist, Jonny; Nakagawa, Seiji; Birkholzer, Jens

2017-11-01

This paper presents coupled hydro-mechanical modeling of hydraulic fracturing processes in complex fractured media using a discrete fracture network (DFN) approach. The individual physical processes in the fracture propagation are represented by separate program modules: the TOUGH2 code for multiphase flow and mass transport based on the finite volume approach; and the rigid-body-spring network (RBSN) model for mechanical and fracture-damage behavior, which are coupled with each other. Fractures are modeled as discrete features, of which the hydrological properties are evaluated from the fracture deformation and aperture change. The verification of the TOUGH-RBSN code is performed against a 2D analytical model for single hydraulic fracture propagation. Subsequently, modeling capabilities for hydraulic fracturing are demonstrated through simulations of laboratory experiments conducted on rock-analogue (soda-lime glass) samples containing a designed network of pre-existing fractures. Sensitivity analyses are also conducted by changing the modeling parameters, such as viscosity of injected fluid, strength of pre-existing fractures, and confining stress conditions. The hydraulic fracturing characteristics attributed to the modeling parameters are investigated through comparisons of the simulation results.

Effect of tritium and decay helium on the fracture toughness properties of stainless steel weldments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, M. J.; West, S.; Tosten, M. H.

2008-07-15

J-Integral fracture toughness tests were conducted on tritium-exposed-and- aged Types 304L and 21-6-9 stainless steel weldments in order to measure the combined effects of tritium and its decay product, helium-3 on the fracture toughness properties. Initially, weldments have fracture toughness values about three times higher than base-metal values. Delta-ferrite phase in the weld microstructure improved toughness provided no tritium was present in the microstructure. After a tritium-exposure-and-aging treatment that resulted in {approx}1400 atomic parts per million (appm) dissolved tritium, both weldments and base metals had their fracture toughness values reduced to about the same level. The tritium effect was greatermore » in weldments (67 % reduction vs. 37% reduction) largely because the ductile discontinuous delta-ferrite phase was embrittled by tritium and decay helium. For both base metals and weldments, fracture toughness values decreased with increasing decay helium content in the range tested (50-800 appm). (authors)« less

The importance of fracture toughness in ultrafine and nanocrystalline bulk materials

PubMed Central

Pippan, R.; Hohenwarter, A.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The suitability of high-strength ultrafine and nanocrystalline materials processed by severe plastic deformation methods and aimed to be used for structural applications will strongly depend on their resistance against crack growth. In this contribution some general available findings on the damage tolerance of this material class will be summarized. Particularly, the occurrence of a pronounced fracture anisotropy will be in the center of discussion. In addition, the great potential of this generated anisotropy to obtain high-strength materials with exceptionally high fracture toughness in specific loading and crack growth directions will be enlightened. IMPACT STATEMENT Severely plastically deformed materials are reviewed in light of their damage tolerance. The frequently observed toughness anisotropy allows unprecedented fracture toughness – strength combinations. PMID:27570712

Fracture Toughness Determination of Cracked Chevron Notched Brazilian Disc Rock Specimen via Griffith Energy Criterion Incorporating Realistic Fracture Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yuan; Dai, Feng; Zhao, Tao; Xu, Nu-wen; Liu, Yi

2016-08-01

The cracked chevron notched Brazilian disc (CCNBD) specimen has been suggested by the International Society for Rock Mechanics to measure the mode I fracture toughness of rocks, and has been widely adopted in laboratory tests. Nevertheless, a certain discrepancy has been observed in results when compared with those derived from methods using straight through cracked specimens, which might be due to the fact that the fracture profiles of rock specimens cannot match the straight through crack front as assumed in the measuring principle. In this study, the progressive fracturing of the CCNBD specimen is numerically investigated using the discrete element method (DEM), aiming to evaluate the impact of the realistic cracking profiles on the mode I fracture toughness measurements. The obtained results validate the curved fracture fronts throughout the fracture process, as reported in the literature. The fracture toughness is subsequently determined via the proposed G-method originated from Griffith's energy theory, in which the evolution of the realistic fracture profile as well as the accumulated fracture energy is quantified by DEM simulation. A comparison between the numerical tests and the experimental results derived from both the CCNBD and the semi-circular bend (SCB) specimens verifies that the G-method incorporating realistic fracture profiles can contribute to narrowing down the gap between the fracture toughness values measured via the CCNBD and the SCB method.

The fracture toughness of borides formed on boronized cold work tool steels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sen, Ugur; Sen, Saduman

2003-06-15

In this study, the fracture toughness of boride layers of two borided cold work tool steels have been investigated. Boriding was carried out in a salt bath consisting of borax, boric acid, ferro-silicon and aluminum. Boriding was performed at 850 and 950 deg. C for 2 to 7 h. The presence of boride phases were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Hardness and fracture toughness of borides were measured via Vickers indenter. Increasing of boriding time and temperature leads to reduction of fracture toughness of borides. Metallographic examination showed that boride layer formed on cold work tool steels was compactmore » and smooth.« less

Small-scale fracture toughness of ceramic thin films: the effects of specimen geometry, ion beam notching and high temperature on chromium nitride toughness evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Best, James P.; Zechner, Johannes; Wheeler, Jeffrey M.; Schoeppner, Rachel; Morstein, Marcus; Michler, Johann

2016-12-01

For the implementation of thin ceramic hard coatings into intensive application environments, the fracture toughness is a particularly important material design parameter. Characterisation of the fracture toughness of small-scale specimens has been a topic of great debate, due to size effects, plasticity, residual stress effects and the influence of ion penetration from the sample fabrication process. In this work, several different small-scale fracture toughness geometries (single-beam cantilever, double-beam cantilever and micro-pillar splitting) were compared, fabricated from a thin physical vapour-deposited ceramic film using a focused ion beam source, and then the effect of the gallium-milled notch on mode I toughness quantification investigated. It was found that notching using a focused gallium source influences small-scale toughness measurements and can lead to an overestimation of the fracture toughness values for chromium nitride (CrN) thin films. The effects of gallium ion irradiation were further studied by performing the first small-scale high-temperature toughness measurements within the scanning electron microscope, with the consequence that annealing at high temperatures allows for diffusion of the gallium to grain boundaries promoting embrittlement in small-scale CrN samples. This work highlights the sensitivity of some materials to gallium ion penetration effects, and the profound effect that it can have on fracture toughness evaluation.

Determination of fracture toughness of human permanent and primary enamel using an indentation microfracture method.

PubMed

Hayashi-Sakai, Sachiko; Sakai, Jun; Sakamoto, Makoto; Endo, Hideaki

2012-09-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the fracture toughness and Vickers microhardness number of permanent and primary human enamel using the indentation microfracture method. Crack resistance and a parameter indirectly related to fracture toughness were measured in 48 enamel specimens from 16 permanent teeth and 12 enamel specimens obtained from six primary teeth. The Vickers microhardness number of the middle portion was greater than the upper portion in primary enamel. The fracture toughness was highest in the middle portion of permanent enamel, because fracture toughness greatly depends upon microstructure. These findings suggest that primary teeth are not miniature permanent teeth but have specific and characteristic mechanical properties.

An approximate solution for a penny-shaped hydraulic fracture that accounts for fracture toughness, fluid viscosity and leak-off.

PubMed

Dontsov, E V

2016-12-01

This paper develops a closed-form approximate solution for a penny-shaped hydraulic fracture whose behaviour is determined by an interplay of three competing physical processes that are associated with fluid viscosity, fracture toughness and fluid leak-off. The primary assumption that permits one to construct the solution is that the fracture behaviour is mainly determined by the three-process multiscale tip asymptotics and the global fluid volume balance. First, the developed approximation is compared with the existing solutions for all limiting regimes of propagation. Then, a solution map, which indicates applicability regions of the limiting solutions, is constructed. It is also shown that the constructed approximation accurately captures the scaling that is associated with the transition from any one limiting solution to another. The developed approximation is tested against a reference numerical solution, showing that accuracy of the fracture width and radius predictions lie within a fraction of a per cent for a wide range of parameters. As a result, the constructed approximation provides a rapid solution for a penny-shaped hydraulic fracture, which can be used for quick fracture design calculations or as a reference solution to evaluate accuracy of various hydraulic fracture simulators.

An approximate solution for a penny-shaped hydraulic fracture that accounts for fracture toughness, fluid viscosity and leak-off

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dontsov, E. V.

2016-12-01

This paper develops a closed-form approximate solution for a penny-shaped hydraulic fracture whose behaviour is determined by an interplay of three competing physical processes that are associated with fluid viscosity, fracture toughness and fluid leak-off. The primary assumption that permits one to construct the solution is that the fracture behaviour is mainly determined by the three-process multiscale tip asymptotics and the global fluid volume balance. First, the developed approximation is compared with the existing solutions for all limiting regimes of propagation. Then, a solution map, which indicates applicability regions of the limiting solutions, is constructed. It is also shown that the constructed approximation accurately captures the scaling that is associated with the transition from any one limiting solution to another. The developed approximation is tested against a reference numerical solution, showing that accuracy of the fracture width and radius predictions lie within a fraction of a per cent for a wide range of parameters. As a result, the constructed approximation provides a rapid solution for a penny-shaped hydraulic fracture, which can be used for quick fracture design calculations or as a reference solution to evaluate accuracy of various hydraulic fracture simulators.

Mode II Interlaminar Fracture Toughness and Fatigue Characterization of a Graphite Epoxy Composite Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Brien, T. Kevin; Johnston, William M.; Toland, Gregory J.

2010-01-01

Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and delamination onset and growth characterization data were generated for IM7/8552 graphite epoxy composite materials from two suppliers for use in fracture mechanics analyses. Both the fracture toughness testing and the fatigue testing were conducted using the End-notched Flexure (ENF) test. The ENF test for mode II fracture toughness is currently under review by ASTM as a potential standard test method. This current draft ASTM protocol was used as a guide to conduct the tests on the IM7/8552 material. This report summarizes the test approach, methods, procedures and results of this characterization effort.

Fracture toughness and fracture behavior of CLAM steel in the temperature range of 450 °C-550 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yanyun; Liang, Mengtian; Zhang, Zhenyu; Jiang, Man; Liu, Shaojun

2018-04-01

In order to analyze the fracture toughness and fracture behavior (J-R curves) of China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel under the design service temperature of Test Blanket Module of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, the quasi-static fracture experiment of CLAM steel was carried out under the temperature range of 450 °C-550 °C. The results indicated that the fracture behavior of CLAM steel was greatly influenced by test temperature. The fracture toughness increased slightly as the temperature increased from 450 °C to 500 °C. In the meanwhile, the fracture toughness at 550 °C could not be obtained due to the plastic deformation near the crack tip zone. The microstructure analysis based on the fracture topography and the interaction between dislocations and lath boundaries showed two different sub-crack propagation modes: growth along 45° of the main crack direction at 450 °C and growth perpendicular to the main crack at 500 °C.

Microstructural effects on fracture toughness of polycrystalline ceramics in combined mode I and mode II loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, D.; Shetty, D. K.

1988-01-01

Fracture toughness of polycrystalline alumina and ceria partially-stabilized tetragonal zirconia (CeO2-TZP) ceramics were assessed in combined mode I and mode II loading using precracked disk specimens in diametral compression. Stress states ranging from pure mode I, combined mode I and mode II, and pure mode II were obtained by aligning the center crack at specific angles relative to the loading diameter. The resulting mixed-mode fracture toughness envelope showed significant deviation to higher fracture toughness in mode II relative to the predictions of the linear elastic fracture mechanics theory. Critical comparison with corresponding results on soda-lime glass and fracture surface observations showed that crack surface resistance arising from grain interlocking and abrasion was the main source of the increased fracture toughness in mode II loading of the polycrystalline ceramics. The normalized fracture toughness for pure mode II loading, (KII/KIc), increased with increasing grain size for the CeO2-TZP ceramics. Quantitative fractography confirmed an increased percentage of transgranular fracture of the grains in mode II loading.

Fracture toughness evaluation of select advanced replacement alloys for LWR core internals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Lizhen; Chen, Xiang

Life extension of the existing nuclear reactors imposes irradiation of high fluences to structural materials, resulting in significant challenges to the traditional reactor materials such as type 304 and 316 stainless steels. Advanced alloys with superior radiation resistance will increase safety margins, design flexibility, and economics for not only the life extension of the existing fleet but also new builds with advanced reactor designs. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) teamed up with Department of Energy (DOE) to initiate the Advanced Radiation Resistant Materials (ARRM) program, aiming to develop and test degradation resistant alloys from current commercial alloy specifications bymore » 2021 to a new advanced alloy with superior degradation resistance in light water reactor (LWR)-relevant environments by 2024. Fracture toughness is one of the key engineering properties required for core internal materials. Together with other properties, which are being examined such as high-temperature steam oxidation resistance, radiation hardening, and irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking resistance, the alloys will be down-selected for neutron irradiation study and comprehensive post-irradiation examinations. According to the candidate alloys selected under the ARRM program, ductile fracture toughness of eight alloys was evaluated at room temperature and the LWR-relevant temperatures. The tested alloys include two ferritic alloys (Grade 92 and an oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloy 14YWT), two austenitic stainless steels (316L and 310), four Ni-base superalloys (718A, 725, 690, and X750). Alloy 316L and X750 are included as reference alloys for low- and high-strength alloys, respectively. Compact tension specimens in 0.25T and 0.2T were machined from the alloys in the T-L and R-L orientations according to the product forms of the alloys. This report summarizes the final results of the specimens tested and analyzed per ASTM Standard E1820. Unlike

Fracture toughness of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier ceramics: Influence of processing, microstructure, and thermal aging

DOE PAGES

Dwivedi, Gopal; Viswanathan, Vaishak; Sampath, Sanjay; ...

2014-06-09

Fracture toughness has become one of the dominant design parameters that dictates the selection of materials and their microstructure to obtain durable thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Much progress has been made in characterizing the fracture toughness of relevant TBC compositions in bulk form, and it has become apparent that this property is significantly affected by process-induced microstructural defects. In this investigation, a systematic study of the influence of coating microstructure on the fracture toughness of atmospheric plasma sprayed (APS) TBCs has been carried out. Yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings were fabricated under different spray process conditions inducing different levelsmore » of porosity and interfacial defects. Fracture toughness was measured on free standing coatings in as-processed and thermally aged conditions using the double torsion technique. Results indicate significant variance in fracture toughness among coatings with different microstructures including changes induced by thermal aging. Comparative studies were also conducted on an alternative TBC composition, Gd 2Zr 2O 7 (GDZ), which as anticipated shows significantly lower fracture toughness compared to YSZ. Furthermore, the results from these studies not only point towards a need for process and microstructure optimization for enhanced TBC performance but also a framework for establishing performance metrics for promising new TBC compositions.« less

Effect of TiC addition on fracture toughness of Al6061 alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raviraj, M. S.; Sharanprabhu, C. M.; Mohankumar, G. C.

2018-04-01

Al 6061 matrix was reinforced with different proportions of TiC particles such as 3wt%, 5wt% and 7wt% and the effect on fracture toughness was studied. Al-TiC metal matrix composites were produced by stir casting method to ensure uniform distribution of the TiC particulates in the Al matrix. LEFM (Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics) has been used to characterize the fracture toughness using various specimen geometries. The compact tension (CT) specimens with straight through notch were machined as per ASTM E399 specifications. All the specimens were machined to have constant a/W=0.5 and B/W was varied from 0.2 to 0.7. A sharp crack initiation was done at the end of notch by fatigue loading using servo-hydraulic controlled testing machine. Load v/s crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) data was plotted and stress intensity factor, KQ determined. Critical stress intensity factor KIC was obtained by plotting KQ v/s thickness of specimen data. The fracture toughness of the composites varied between 16-19 MPa√m as compared to 23MPa√m for base alloy Al6061. Composites with 3wt% and 7wt% TiC showed better fracture toughness than 5wt% TiC reinforced Al metal matrix composites.

Crack-shape effects for indentation fracture toughness measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, S.M.; Scattergood, R.O.

1992-02-01

Various methods to measure fracture toughness using indentation precracks were compared using soda-lime glass as a test material. In situ measurements of crack size as a function of applied stress allow both the toughness K[sub c] and the residual-stress factor [chi] to be independently determined. Analysis of the data showed that stress intensity factors based on classical half-penny crack shapes overestimate toughness values and produce an apparent R-curve effect. This is due to a constraint on crack shape imposed by primary lateral cracks in soda-lime glass. Models based on elliptical cracks were developed to account for the crack-shape effects.

Recent development in low-constraint fracture toughness testing for structural integrity assessment of pipelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Jidong; Gianetto, James A.; Tyson, William R.

2018-03-01

Fracture toughness measurement is an integral part of structural integrity assessment of pipelines. Traditionally, a single-edge-notched bend (SE(B)) specimen with a deep crack is recommended in many existing pipeline structural integrity assessment procedures. Such a test provides high constraint and therefore conservative fracture toughness results. However, for girth welds in service, defects are usually subjected to primarily tensile loading where the constraint is usually much lower than in the three-point bend case. Moreover, there is increasing use of strain-based design of pipelines that allows applied strains above yield. Low-constraint toughness tests represent more realistic loading conditions for girth weld defects, and the corresponding increased toughness can minimize unnecessary conservatism in assessments. In this review, we present recent developments in low-constraint fracture toughness testing, specifically using single-edgenotched tension specimens, SENT or SE(T). We focus our review on the test procedure development and automation, round-robin test results and some common concerns such as the effect of crack tip, crack size monitoring techniques, and testing at low temperatures. Examples are also given of the integration of fracture toughness data from SE(T) tests into structural integrity assessment.

Understanding fracture toughness in gamma TiAl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Kwai S.

1992-05-01

The ambient-temperature ductility and fracture toughness of TiAl-base intermetallic alloys have been improved in recent years by both alloy additions and microstructural control. Two-phase TiAl alloys have emerged as a new class of lightweight, high-temperature materials with potential importance for aerospace applications. This overview summarizes recent advances in the basic understanding of the fracture processes and toughening mechanisms in TiAl-base alloys and the relationships between microstructures and mechanical properties.

Indentation fracture toughness and dynamic elastic moduli for commercial feldspathic dental porcelain materials.

PubMed

Rizkalla, Amin S; Jones, Derek W

2004-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the indentation fracture toughness, true hardness and dynamic elastic moduli for 14 commercial dental porcelain materials. The specimens were fired according to manufacturer instructions. The density of the specimens (n=3) was measured by means of the water displacement technique. Dynamic Young's shear and bulk moduli and Poisson's ratio (n=3) were measured using a non-destructive ultrasonic technique using 10 MHz lithium niobate crystals. The true hardness (n=3) was measured using a Knoop indenter and the fracture toughness (n=3) was determined using a Vickers indenter and a Tukon hardness tester. Statistical analysis of the data was conducted using ANOVA and a Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) rank order multiple comparative test. The SNK rank test analysis for the mean dynamic Young's modulus and fracture toughness was able to separate 14 dental porcelain materials into seven and nine groups, respectively, at p=0.05. The elastic moduli, true hardness and indentation fracture toughness for opaque porcelains were significantly higher than incisal; and body materials at p=0.05. The indentation fracture toughness and the ultrasonic test methods exhibit lower coefficient of variation compared to conventional methods and have considerable advantage for ceramic dental materials in that only small specimens are required to produce an acceptable number of data for statistical analysis.

Strength and Fracture Toughness of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrolyte Material Improved

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bansal, Narottam P.; Choi, Sung R.

2002-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are being developed for various applications in the automobile, power-generation, and aeronautics industries. Recently, the NASA Glenn Research Center has been exploring the possibility of using SOFC's for aeropropulsion under its Zero Carbon Dioxide Emission Technology (ZCET) Program. 10-mol% yttriastabilized zirconia (10YSZ) is a very good anionic conductor at high temperatures and is, therefore, used as an oxygen solid electrolyte in SOFC. However, it has a high thermal expansion coefficient, low thermal shock resistance, low fracture toughness, and poor mechanical strength. For aeronautic applications, the thin ceramic electrolyte membrane of the SOFC needs to be strong and tough. Therefore, we have been investigating the possibility of enhancing the strength and fracture toughness of the 10YSZ electrolyte without degrading its electrical conductivity to an appreciable extent. We recently demonstrated that the addition of alumina to zirconia electrolyte increases its strength as well as its fracture toughness. Zirconia-alumina composites containing 0 to 30 mol% of alumina were fabricated by hot pressing. The hot pressing procedure was developed and various hot pressing parameters were optimized, resulting in dense, crackfree panels of composite materials. Cubic zirconia and a-alumina were the only phases detected, indicating that there was no chemical reaction between the constituents during hot pressing at elevated temperatures. Flexure strength sf and fracture toughness K(sub IC) of the various zirconia-alumina composites were measured at room temperature as well as at 1000 C in air. Both properties showed systematic improvement with increased alumina addition at room temperature and at 1000 C. Use of these modified electrolytes with improved strength and fracture toughness should prolong the life and enhance the performance of SOFC in aeronautics and other applications.

The effect of thermocycling on the fracture toughness and hardness of core buildup materials.

PubMed

Medina Tirado, J I; Nagy, W W; Dhuru, V B; Ziebert, A J

2001-11-01

Thermocycling has been shown to cause surface degradation of many dental materials, but its effect on the fracture toughness and hardness of direct core buildup materials is unknown. This study was designed to determine the effect of thermocycling on the fracture toughness and hardness of 5 core buildup materials. Fifteen specimens were prepared from each of the following materials: Fluorocore, VariGlass VLC, Valiant PhD, Vitremer, and Chelon-Silver. American Standard for Testing Materials guidelines for single-edge notch, bar-shaped specimens were used. Ten specimens of each material were thermocycled for 2000 cycles; the other 5 specimens were not thermocycled. All specimens were subjected to 3-point bending in a universal testing machine. The load at fracture was recorded, and the fracture toughness (K(IC)) was calculated. Barcol hardness values were also determined. Data were analyzed with 1-way analysis of variance and compared with the Tukey multiple range test (P<.05). Pearson's correlation coefficient was also calculated to measure the association between fracture toughness and hardness. Fluorocore had the highest thermocycled mean K(IC) and Valiant PhD the highest non-thermocycled K(IC). Chelon-Silver demonstrated the lowest mean K(IC) both before and after thermocycling. One-way analysis of variance demonstrated significant differences between conditions, and the Tukey test showed significant differences (P<.05) between materials for both conditions. Most specimens also showed significant hardness differences between conditions. Pearson's correlation coefficient indicated only a mild-to-moderate correlation between hardness and fracture toughness. Within the limitations of this study, the thermocycling process negatively affected the fracture toughness and hardness of the core buildup materials tested.

Fracture strength of the particulate-reinforced ultra-high temperature ceramics based on a temperature dependent fracture toughness model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ruzhuan; Li, Weiguo; Ji, Baohua; Fang, Daining

2017-10-01

The particulate-reinforced ultra-high temperature ceramics (pUHTCs) have been particularly developed for fabricating the leading edge and nose cap of hypersonic vehicles. They have drawn intensive attention of scientific community for their superior fracture strength at high temperatures. However, there is no proper model for predicting the fracture strength of the ceramic composites and its dependency on temperature. In order to account for the effect of temperature on the fracture strength, we proposed a concept called energy storage capacity, by which we derived a new model for depicting the temperature dependent fracture toughness of the composites. This model gives a quantitative relationship between the fracture toughness and temperature. Based on this temperature dependent fracture toughness model and Griffith criterion, we developed a new fracture strength model for predicting the temperature dependent fracture strength of pUHTCs at different temperatures. The model takes into account the effects of temperature, flaw size and residual stress without any fitting parameters. The predictions of the fracture strength of pUHTCs in argon or air agreed well with the experimental measurements. Additionally, our model offers a mechanism of monitoring the strength of materials at different temperatures by testing the change of flaw size. This study provides a quantitative tool for design, evaluation and monitoring of the fracture properties of pUHTCs at high temperatures.

Effect of processing induced particle alignment on the fracture toughness and fracture behavior of multiphase dental ceramics.

PubMed

Gonzaga, Carla C; Okada, Cristina Yuri; Cesar, Paulo F; Miranda, Walter G; Yoshimura, Humberto N

2009-11-01

To investigate the processing induced particle alignment on fracture behavior of four multiphase dental ceramics (one porcelain, two glass-ceramics and a glass-infiltrated-alumina composite). Disks (Ø12 mm x 1.1mm-thick) and bars (3 mm x 4 mm x 20 mm) of each material were processed according to manufacturer instructions, machined and polished. Fracture toughness (K(Ic)) was determined by the indentation strength method using 3-point bending and biaxial flexure fixtures for the fracture of bars and disks, respectively. Microstructural and fractographic analyses were performed with scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The isotropic microstructure of the porcelain and the leucite-based glass-ceramic resulted in similar fracture toughness values regardless of the specimen geometry. On the other hand, materials containing second-phase particles with high aspect ratio (lithium disilicate glass-ceramic and glass-infiltrated-alumina composite) showed lower fracture toughness for disk specimens compared to bars. For the lithium disilicate glass-ceramic disks, it was demonstrated that the occurrence of particle alignment during the heat-pressing procedure resulted in an unfavorable pattern that created weak microstructural paths during the biaxial test. For the glass-infiltrated-alumina composite, the microstructural analysis showed that the large alumina platelets tended to align their large surfaces perpendicularly to the direction of particle deposition during slip casting of green preforms. The fracture toughness of dental ceramics with anisotropic microstructure should be determined by means of biaxial testing, since it results in lower values.

A proposed standard round compact specimen for plane strain fracture toughness testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Underwood, J. H.; Newman, J. C., Jr.; Seeley, R. R.

1980-01-01

A round, disk-shaped specimen is proposed as a standard test specimen for addition to ASTM Test for Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness of Metallic Materials (E 399-78A). The specimen is diametrically cracked, and loaded in the same way as the existing standard compact specimen. Tests and analyses were performed to verify that the proposed round compact specimen and associated stress intensity factor K solution are appropriate for a standard plane strain fracture toughness test. The use of the round compact specimen for other fracture tests is described.

Development of plane strain fracture toughness test for ceramics using Chevron notched specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubsey, R. T.; Shannon, J. L., Jr.; Munz, D.

1983-01-01

Chevron-notched four-point-bend and short-bar specimens have been used to determine the fracture toughness of sintered aluminum oxide and hot-pressed silicon nitride ceramics. The fracture toughness for Si3N4 is found to be essentially independent of the specimen size and chevron notch configuration, with values ranging from 4.6 to 4.9 MNm exp -3/2. In contrast, significant specimen size and notch geometry effects have been observed for Al2O3, with the fracture toughness ranging from 3.1 to 4.7 MNm exp -3/2. These effects are attributed to a rising crack growth resistance curve for the Al2O3 tested.

Fracture toughness of SiC/Al metal matrix composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flom, Yury; Parker, B. H.; Chu, H. P.

1989-01-01

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate fracture toughness of SiC/Al metal matrix composite (MMC). The material was a 12.7 mm thick extrusion of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy with 40 v/o SiC particulates. Specimen configuration and test procedure conformed to ASTM E399 Standard for compact specimens. It was found that special procedures were necessary to obtain fatigue cracks of controlled lengths in the preparation of precracked specimens for the MMC material. Fatigue loading with both minimum and maximum loads in compression was used to start the precrack. The initial precracking would stop by self-arrest. Afterwards, the precrack could be safely extended to the desired length by additional cyclic tensile loading. Test results met practically all the E399 criteria for the calculation of plane strain fracture toughness of the material. A valid K sub IC value of the SiC/Al composite was established as K sub IC = 8.9 MPa square root of m. The threshold stress intensity under which crack would cease to grow in the material was estimated as delta K sub th = 2MPa square root of m for R = 0.09 using the fatigue precracking data. Fractographic examinations show that failure occurred by the micromechanism involved with plastic deformation although the specimens broke by brittle fracture. The effect of precracking by cyclic loading in compression on fracture toughness is included in the discussion.

Fracture toughness of titanium-cement interfaces: effects of fibers and loading angles.

PubMed

Khandaker, Morshed; Utsaha, Khatri Chhetri; Morris, Tracy

2014-01-01

Ideal implant-cement or implant-bone interfaces are required for implant fixation and the filling of tissue defects created by disease. Micron- to nanosize osseointegrated features, such as surface roughness, fibers, porosity, and particles, have been fused with implants for improving the osseointegration of an implant with the host tissue in orthopedics and dentistry. The effects of fibers and loading angles on the interface fracture toughness of implant-cement specimens with and without fibers at the interface are not yet known. Such studies are important for the design of a long-lasting implant for orthopedic applications. The goal of this study was to improve the fracture toughness of an implant-cement interface by deposition of micron- to nanosize fibers on an implant surface. There were two objectives in the study: 1) to evaluate the influence of fibers on the fracture toughness of implant-cement interfaces with and without fibers at the interfaces, and 2) to evaluate the influence of loading angles on implant-cement interfaces with and without fibers at the interfaces. This study used titanium as the implant, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as cement, and polycaprolactone (PCL) as fiber materials. An electrospinning unit was fabricated for the deposition of PCL unidirectional fibers on titanium (Ti) plates. The Evex tensile test stage was used to determine the interface fracture toughness (KC) of Ti-PMMA with and without PCL fibers at 0°, 45°, and 90° loading angles, referred to in this article as tension, mixed, and shear tests. The study did not find any significant interaction between fiber and loading angles (P>0.05), although there was a significant difference in the KC means of Ti-PMMA samples for the loading angles (P<0.05). The study also found a significant difference in the KC means of Ti-PMMA samples with and without fibers (P<0.05). The results showed that the addition of the micron- to nanosize PCL fibers on Ti improved the quality of the Ti

Fracture toughness of titanium–cement interfaces: effects of fibers and loading angles

PubMed Central

Khandaker, Morshed; Utsaha, Khatri Chhetri; Morris, Tracy

2014-01-01

Ideal implant–cement or implant–bone interfaces are required for implant fixation and the filling of tissue defects created by disease. Micron- to nanosize osseointegrated features, such as surface roughness, fibers, porosity, and particles, have been fused with implants for improving the osseointegration of an implant with the host tissue in orthopedics and dentistry. The effects of fibers and loading angles on the interface fracture toughness of implant–cement specimens with and without fibers at the interface are not yet known. Such studies are important for the design of a long-lasting implant for orthopedic applications. The goal of this study was to improve the fracture toughness of an implant–cement interface by deposition of micron- to nanosize fibers on an implant surface. There were two objectives in the study: 1) to evaluate the influence of fibers on the fracture toughness of implant–cement interfaces with and without fibers at the interfaces, and 2) to evaluate the influence of loading angles on implant–cement interfaces with and without fibers at the interfaces. This study used titanium as the implant, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as cement, and polycaprolactone (PCL) as fiber materials. An electrospinning unit was fabricated for the deposition of PCL unidirectional fibers on titanium (Ti) plates. The Evex tensile test stage was used to determine the interface fracture toughness (KC) of Ti–PMMA with and without PCL fibers at 0°, 45°, and 90° loading angles, referred to in this article as tension, mixed, and shear tests. The study did not find any significant interaction between fiber and loading angles (P>0.05), although there was a significant difference in the KC means of Ti–PMMA samples for the loading angles (P<0.05). The study also found a significant difference in the KC means of Ti–PMMA samples with and without fibers (P<0.05). The results showed that the addition of the micron- to nanosize PCL fibers on Ti improved the

Experimental Determination of the Fracture Toughness and Brittleness of the Mancos Shale, Utah.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandler, Mike; Meredith, Phil; Crawford, Brian

2013-04-01

non-linearity. This produces hysteresis during cyclic loading, allowing for the calculation of a brittleness coefficient using the residual displacement after successive loading cycles. This can then be used to define a brittleness corrected Fracture Toughness, KIcc. We report anisotropic KIcc values and a variety of supporting measurements made on the Mancos Shale in the three principle Mode-I crack orientations (Arrester, Divider and Short-Transverse) using a modified Short-Rod sample geometry. The Mancos is an Upper Cretaceous shale from western Colorado and eastern Utah with a relatively high siliclastic content for a gas target formation. The Short-Rod methodology involves the propagation of a crack through a triangular ligament in a chevron-notched cylindrical sample [3]. A very substantial anisotropy is observed in the loading curves and KIcc values for the three crack orientations, with the Divider orientation having KIcc values 25% higher than the other orientations. The measured brittleness for these Mancos shales is in the range 1.5-2.1; higher than for any other rocks we have found in the literature. This implies that the material is extremely non-linear. Increases in KIcc with increasing confining pressure are also investigated, as Shale Gas reservoirs occur at depths where confining pressure may be as high as 35MPa and temperature as high as 100oC. References [1] C.A. Green, P. Styles & B.J. Baptie, "Preese Hall Shale Gas Fracturing", Review & Recommendations for Induced Seismic Mitigation, 2012. [2] N.R. Warpinski & M.B. Smith, "Rock Mechanics and Fracture Geometry", Recent advances in Hydraulic Fracturing, SPE Monograms, Vol. 12, pp. 57-80, 1990. [3] F. Ouchterlony, "International Society for Rock Mechanics Commision on Testing Methods: Suggested Methods for Determining the Fracture Toughness of Rock", International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Science & Geomechanics Abstracts, Vol. 25, 1988.

Mechanical properties and fracture toughness of rail steels and thermite welds at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuan-qing; Zhou, Hui; Shi, Yong-jiu; Feng, Bao-rui

2012-05-01

Brittle fracture occurs frequently in rails and thermite welded joints, which intimidates the security and reliability of railway service. Railways in cold regions, such as Qinghai-Tibet Railway, make the problem of brittle fracture in rails even worse. A series of tests such as uniaxial tensile tests, Charpy impact tests, and three-point bending tests were carried out at low temperature to investigate the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of U71Mn and U75V rail steels and their thermite welds. Fracture micromechanisms were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on the fracture surfaces of the tested specimens. The ductility indices (percentage elongation after fracture and percentage reduction of area) and the toughness indices (Charpy impact energy A k and plane-strain fracture toughness K IC) of the two kinds of rail steels and the corresponding thermite welds all decrease as the temperature decreases. The thermite welds are more critical to fracture than the rail steel base metals, as indicated by a higher yield-to-ultimate ratio and a much lower Charpy impact energy. U71Mn rail steel is relatively higher in toughness than U75V, as demonstrated by larger A k and K IC values. Therefore, U71Mn rail steel and the corresponding thermite weld are recommended in railway construction and maintenance in cold regions.

A comparative evaluation of dental luting cements by fracture toughness tests and fractography.

PubMed

Ryan, A K; Orr, J F; Mitchell, C A

2001-01-01

In recent years there has been a shift from traditional methods of investigating dental materials to a fracture mechanics approach. Fracture toughness (KIC) is an intrinsic material property which can be considered to be a measure of a material's resistance to crack propagation. Glass-ionomer cements are biocompatible and bioactive dental restorative materials, but they suffer from poor fracture toughness and are extremely susceptible to dehydration. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the fracture toughness of three types of commercially available dental cements (polyacid-modified composite resin, resin-modified and conventional glass ionomer) using a short-rod chevron-notch test and to investigate and interpret the results by means of fractography using scanning electron microscopy. Ten specimens of each cement were fabricated according to manufacturers' instructions, coated in varnish, and stored at ambient laboratory humidity, 100 per cent relative humidity, or in water at 37 degrees C for 7 days prior to preparation for testing. Results indicated that significant differences existed between each group of materials and that the fracture toughness ranged from 0.27 to 0.72 MN/m3/2. It was concluded that the resin-modified glass-ionomer cement demonstrated the highest resistance to crack propagation. Fractographs clearly showed areas of stable and unstable crack growth along the fractured surfaces for the three materials examined.

Indenter flaw geometry and fracture toughness estimates for a glass-ceramic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shetty, D.K.; Duckworth, W.H.; Rosenfield, A.R.

1985-10-01

Shapes of cracks associated with Vickers indenter flaws in a glass-ceramic were assessed by stepwise polishing and measuring surface traces as a function of depth. The cracks were of the Palmqvist type even at 200-N indentation load. The load dependence of crack lengths and fracture toughness estimates were examined in terms of relations proposed for Palmqvist and half-penny cracks. Estimates based on the half-penny crack analogy were in closer agreement with bulk fracture toughness measurements despite the Palmqvist nature of the cracks.

Impact fracture toughness evaluation for high-density polyethylene materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherief, M. N. D.; Elmeguenni, M.; Benguediab, M.

2017-03-01

The impact fracture behavior of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Single-edge notched bending (SENB) specimens are tested in experiments with three-point bending and in the Charpy impact tests. An energy model is proposed for evaluating the HDPE impact toughness, which provides a description of both brittle and ductile fracture.

Strain Rate Dependency of Fracture Toughness, Energy Release Rate and Geomechanical Attributes of Select Indian Shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahanta, B.; Vishal, V.; Singh, T. N.; Ranjith, P.

2016-12-01

In addition to modern improved technology, it requires detailed understanding of rock fractures for the purpose of enhanced energy extraction through hydraulic fracturing of gas shales and geothermal energy systems. The understanding of rock fracture behavior, patterns and properties such as fracture toughness; energy release rate; strength and deformation attributes during fracturing hold significance. Environmental factors like temperature, pressure, humidity, water vapor and experimental condition such as strain rate influence the estimation of these properties. In this study, the effects of strain rates on fracture toughness, energy release rate as well as geomechanical properties like uniaxial compressive strength, Young's modulus, failure strain, tensile strength, and brittleness index of gas shales were investigated. In addition to the rock-mechanical parameters, the fracture toughness and the energy release rates were measured for three different modes viz. mode I, mixed mode (I-II) and mode II. Petrographic and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were performed to identify the mineral composition of the shale samples. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses were conducted to have an insight about the strain rate effects on micro-structure of the rock. The results suggest that the fracture toughness; the energy release rate as well as other geomechanical properties are a function of strain rates. At high strain rates, the strength and stiffness of shale increases which in turn increases the fracture toughness and the energy release rate of shale that may be due to stress redistribution during grain fracturing. The fracture toughness and the strain energy release rates for all the modes (I/I-II/II) are comparable at lower strain rates, but they vary considerably at higher strain rates. In all the cases, mode I and mode II fracturing requires minimum and maximum applied energy, respectively. Mode I energy release rate is maximum, compared to the other modes.

Effect of autoclave postpolymerization treatments on the fracture toughness of autopolymerizing dental acrylic resins.

PubMed

Durkan, Rukiye; Gürbüz, Ayhan; Yilmaz, Burak; Özel, M Birol; Bağış, Bora

2012-06-26

Microwave and water bath postpolymerization have been suggested as methods to improve the mechanical properties of heat and autopolymerizing acrylic resins. However, the effects of autoclave heating on the fracture properties of autopolymerizing acrylic resins have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of various autoclave postpolymerization methods on the fracture properties of 3 different autopolymerizing acrylic resins. Forty-two specimens of 3 different autopolymerizing acrylic resins (Orthocryl, Paladent RR and Futurajet) were fabricated (40x8x4mm), and each group was further divided into 6 subgroups (n=7). Control group specimens remained as processed (Group 1). The first test group was postpolymerized in a cassette autoclave at 135°C for 6 minutes and the other groups were postpolymerized in a conventional autoclave at 130°C using different time settings (5, 10, 20 or 30 minutes). Fracture toughness was then measured with a three-point bending test. Data were analyzed by ANOVA followed by the Duncan test (α=0.05). The fracture toughness of Orthocryl and Paladent-RR acrylic resins significantly increased following conventional autoclave postpolymerization at 130°C for 10 minutes (P<.05). However, the fracture toughness of autoclave postpolymerized Futurajet was not significantly different than its control specimens (P<.05). The fracture toughness of Futurajet was significantly less than Paladent RR and Orthocryl specimens when autoclaved at 130°C for 10 minutes. Within the limitations of this study, it can be suggested that autoclave postpolymerization is an effective method for increasing the fracture toughness of tested autoploymerized acrylic resins.

Effect of Thermal Aging and Test Temperatures on Fracture Toughness of SS 316(N) Welds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutt, B. Shashank; Babu, M. Nani; Shanthi, G.; Moitra, A.; Sasikala, G.

2018-03-01

The effect of thermal aging and test temperatures on fracture toughness (J 0.2) of SS 316(N) weld material has been studied based on J-R curve evaluations. The aging of the welds was carried out at temperatures 370, 475 and 550 °C and for durations varying from 1000 to 20,000 h. The fracture toughness (J-R curve) tests were carried out at 380 and 550 °C for specimens after all aging conditions, including as-weld condition. The initiation fracture toughness (J 0.2) of the SS 316(N) weld material has shown degradation after 20,000-h aging durations and is reflected in all the test temperatures and aging temperatures. The fracture toughness after different aging conditions and test temperatures, including as-weld condition, was higher than the minimum specified value for this class of welds.

THE EFFECT OF STRAIN RATE ON FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF HUMAN CORTICAL BONE: A FINITE ELEMENT STUDY

PubMed Central

Ural, Ani; Zioupos, Peter; Buchanan, Drew; Vashishth, Deepak

2011-01-01

Evaluating the mechanical response of bone under high loading rates is crucial to understanding fractures in traumatic accidents or falls. In the current study, a computational approach based on cohesive finite element modeling was employed to evaluate the effect of strain rate on fracture toughness of human cortical bone. Two-dimensional compact tension specimen models were simulated to evaluate the change in initiation and propagation fracture toughness with increasing strain rate (range: 0.08 to 18 s−1). In addition, the effect of porosity in combination with strain rate was assessed using three-dimensional models of microcomputed tomography-based compact tension specimens. The simulation results showed that bone’s resistance against the propagation of fracture decreased sharply with increase in strain rates up to 1 s−1 and attained an almost constant value for strain rates larger than 1 s−1. On the other hand, initiation fracture toughness exhibited a more gradual decrease throughout the strain rates. There was a significant positive correlation between the experimentally measured number of microcracks and the fracture toughness found in the simulations. Furthermore, the simulation results showed that the amount of porosity did not affect the way initiation fracture toughness decreased with increasing strain rates, whereas it exacerbated the same strain rate effect when propagation fracture toughness was considered. These results suggest that strain rates associated with falls lead to a dramatic reduction in bone’s resistance against crack propagation. The compromised fracture resistance of bone at loads exceeding normal activities indicates a sharp reduction and/or absence of toughening mechanisms in bone during high strain conditions associated with traumatic fracture. PMID:21783112

Fracture Anisotropy and Toughness in the Mancos Shale: Implications for crack-growth geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandler, M. R.; Meredith, P. G.; Brantut, N.; Crawford, B. R.

2013-12-01

The hydraulic fracturing of gas-shales has drawn attention to the fundamental fracture properties of shales. Fracture propagation is dependent on a combination of the in-situ stress field, the fracturing fluid and pressure, and the mechanical properties of the shale. However, shales are strongly anisotropic, and there is a general paucity of available experimental data on the anisotropic mechanical properties of shales in the scientific literature. The mode-I stress intensity factor, KI, quantifies the concentration of stress at crack tips. The Fracture Toughness of a linear elastic material is then defined as the critical value of this stress intensity factor; KIc, beyond which rapid catastrophic crack growth occurs. However, shales display significant non-linearity, which produces hysteresis during experimental cyclic loading. This allows for the calculation of a ductility coefficient using the residual displacement after successive loading cycles. From this coefficient, a ductility corrected Fracture Toughness value, KIcc can be determined. In the Mancos Shale this ductility correction can be as large as 60%, giving a Divider orientation KIcc value of 0.8 MPa.m0.5. Tensile strength and mode-I Fracture Toughness have been experimentally determined for the Mancos Shale using the Brazil Disk and Short-Rod methodologies respectively. The three principal fracture orientations; Arrester, Divider and Short-Transverse were all analysed. A significant anisotropy is observed in the tensile strength, with the Arrester value being 1.5 times higher than the Short-Transverse value. Even larger anisotropy is observed in the Fracture Toughness, with KIcc in the Divider and Arrester orientations being around 1.8 times that in the Short-Transverse orientation. For both tensile strength and fracture toughness, the Short-Transverse orientation, where the fracture propagates in the bedding plane in a direction parallel to the bedding, is found to have significantly lower values than

Master curve characterization of the fracture toughness behavior in SA508 Gr.4N low alloy steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ki-Hyoung; Kim, Min-Chul; Lee, Bong-Sang; Wee, Dang-Moon

2010-08-01

The fracture toughness properties of the tempered martensitic SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel for reactor pressure vessels were investigated by using the master curve concept. These results were compared to those of the bainitic SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel, which is a commercial RPV material. The fracture toughness tests were conducted by 3-point bending with pre-cracked charpy (PCVN) specimens according to the ASTM E1921-09c standard method. The temperature dependency of the fracture toughness was steeper than those predicted by the standard master curve, while the bainitic SA508 Gr.3 steel fitted well with the standard prediction. In order to properly evaluate the fracture toughness of the Gr.4N steels, the exponential coefficient of the master curve equation was changed and the modified curve was applied to the fracture toughness test results of model alloys that have various chemical compositions. It was found that the modified curve provided a better description for the overall fracture toughness behavior and adequate T0 determination for the tempered martensitic SA508 Gr.4N steels.

Aspects of the Fracture Toughness of Carbon Nanotube Modified Epoxy Polymer Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirjalili, Vahid

Epoxy resins used in fibre reinforced composites exhibit a brittle fracture behaviour, because they show no sign of damage prior to a catastrophic failure. Rubbery materials and micro-particles have been added to epoxy resins to improve their fracture toughness, which reduces strength and elastic properties. In this research, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are investigated as a potential toughening agent for epoxy resins and carbon fibre reinforced composites, which can also enhance strength and elastic properties. More specifically, the toughening mechanisms of CNTs are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The effect of aligned and randomly oriented carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the fracture toughness of polymers was modelled using Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics. Toughening from CNT pull-out and rupture were considered, depending on the CNTs critical length. The model was used to identify the effect of CNTs geometrical and mechanical properties on the fracture toughness of CNT-modified epoxies. The modelling results showed that a uniform dispersion and alignment of a high volume fraction of CNTs normal to the crack growth plane would lead to the maximum fracture toughness enhancement. To achieve a uniform dispersion, the effect of processing on the dispersion of single walled and multi walled CNTs in epoxy resins was investigated. An instrumented optical microscope with a hot stage was used to quantify the evolution of the CNT dispersion during cure. The results showed that the reduction of the resin viscosity at temperatures greater than 100 °C caused an irreversible re-agglomeration of the CNTs in the matrix. The dispersion quality was then directly correlated to the fracture toughness of the modified resin. It was shown that the fine tuning of the ratio of epoxy resin, curing agent and CNT content was paramount to the improvement of the base resin fracture toughness. For the epoxy resin (MY0510 from Hexcel), an improvement of 38% was achieved with 0.3 wt

Fatigue pre-cracking and fracture toughness in polycrystalline tungsten and molybdenum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taguchi, Katsuya; Nakadate, Kazuhito; Matsuo, Satoru; Tokunaga, Kazutoshi; Kurishita, Hiroaki

2018-01-01

Fatigue pre-cracking performance and fracture toughness in polycrystalline tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) have been investigated in relation to grain boundary (GB) configuration with respect to the crack advance direction. Sub-sized, single edge notched bend (SENB) specimens with three different orientations, R-L (ASTM notation) for a forged Mo rod and L-S and T-S for a rolled W plate, were pre-cracked in two steps: fully uniaxial compression fatigue loading to provoke crack initiation and its stable growth from the notch root, and subsequent 3-point bend (3PB) fatigue loading to extend the crack. The latter step intends to minimize the influence of the residual tensile stresses generated during compression fatigue by moving the crack tip away from the plastic zone. It is shown that fatigue pre-cracking performance, especially pre-crack extension behavior, is significantly affected by the specimen orientation. The R-L orientation, giving the easiest cracking path, permitted crack extension completely beyond the plastic zone, while the L-S and T-S orientations with the thickness cracking direction of the rolled plate sustained the crack lengths around or possibly within the plastic zone size due to difficulty in crack advance through an aligned grain structure. Room temperature fracture toughness tests revealed that the 3PB fatigued specimens exhibited appreciably higher fracture toughness by about 30% for R-L, 40% for L-S and 60% for T-S than the specimens of each orientation pre-cracked by compression fatigue only. This indicates that 3PB fatigue provides the crack tip front out of the residual tensile stress zone by crack extension or leads to reduction in the residual stresses at the crack tip front. Strong dependence of fracture toughness on GB configuration was evident. The obtained fracture toughness values are compared with those in the literature and its strong GB configuration dependence is discussed in connection with the appearance of pop-in.

Fracture toughness versus micro-tensile bond strength testing of adhesive-dentin interfaces.

PubMed

De Munck, Jan; Luehrs, Anne-Katrin; Poitevin, André; Van Ende, Annelies; Van Meerbeek, Bart

2013-06-01

To assess interfacial fracture toughness of different adhesive approaches and compare to a standard micro-tensile bond-strength (μTBS) test. Chevron-notched beam fracture toughness (CNB) was measured following a modified ISO 24370 standard. Composite bars with dimensions of 3.0×4.0×25 mm were prepared, with the adhesive-dentin interface in the middle. At the adhesive-dentin interface, a chevron notch was prepared using a 0.15 mm thin diamond blade mounted in a water-cooled diamond saw. Each specimen was loaded until failure in a 4-point bend test setup and the fracture toughness was calculated according to the ISO specifications. Similarly, adhesive-dentin micro-specimens (1.0×1.0×8-10 mm) were stressed in tensile until failure to determine the μTBS. A positive correlation (r(2)=0.64) was observed between CNB and μTBS, which however was only nearly statistically significant, mainly due to the dissimilar outcome of Scotchbond Universal (3M ESPE). While few μTBS specimens failed at the adhesive-dentin interface, almost all CNB specimens failed interfacially at the notch tip. Weibull moduli for interfacial fracture toughness were much higher than for μTBS (3.8-11.5 versus 2.7-4.8, respectively), especially relevant with regard to early failures. Although the ranking of the adhesives on their bonding effectiveness tested using CNB and μTBS corresponded well, the outcome of CNB appeared more reliable and less variable. Fracture toughness measurement is however more laborious and requires specific equipment. The μTBS nevertheless appeared to remain a valid method to assess bonding effectiveness in a versatile way. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Intralaminar and Interlaminar Mode-I Fracture Toughness of Unidirectional IM7/8552 Graphite/Epoxy Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Czabaj, Michael W.; Ratcliffe, James

2012-01-01

The intralaminar and interlaminar mode-I fracture-toughness of a unidirectional IM7/8552 graphite/epoxy composite were measured using compact tension (CT) and double cantilever beam (DCB) test specimens, respectively. Two starter crack geometries were considered for both the CT and DCB specimen configurations. In the first case, starter cracks were produced by 12.5 micron thick, Teflon film inserts. In the second case, considerably sharper starter cracks were produced by fatigue precracking. For each specimen configuration, use of the Teflon film starter cracks resulted in initially unstable crack growth and artificially high initiation fracture-toughness values. Conversely, specimens with fatigue precracks exhibited stable growth onset and lower initiation fracture toughness. For CT and DCB specimens with fatigue precracks, the intralaminar and interlaminar initiation fracture toughnesses were approximately equal. However, during propagation, the CT specimens exhibited more extensive fiber bridging, and rapidly increasing R-curve behavior as compared to the DCB specimens. Observations of initiation and propagation of intralaminar and interlaminar fracture, and the measurements of fracture toughness, were supported by fractographic analysis using scanning electron microscopy.

Acoustic Emission Methodology to Evaluate the Fracture Toughness in Heat Treated AISI D2 Tool Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostafavi, Sajad; Fotouhi, Mohamad; Motasemi, Abed; Ahmadi, Mehdi; Sindi, Cevat Teymuri

2012-10-01

In this article, fracture toughness behavior of tool steel was investigated using Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring. Fracture toughness ( K IC) values of a specific tool steel was determined by applying various approaches based on conventional AE parameters, such as Acoustic Emission Cumulative Count (AECC), Acoustic Emission Energy Rate (AEER), and the combination of mechanical characteristics and AE information called sentry function. The critical fracture toughness values during crack propagation were achieved by means of relationship between the integral of the sentry function and cumulative fracture toughness (KICUM). Specimens were selected from AISI D2 cold-work tool steel and were heat treated at four different tempering conditions (300, 450, 525, and 575 °C). The results achieved through AE approaches were then compared with a methodology proposed by compact specimen testing according to ASTM standard E399. It was concluded that AE information was an efficient method to investigate fracture characteristics.

Fracture toughness and fracture behavior of SA508-III steel at different temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jia-hua; Wang, Lei; Liu, Yang; Song, Xiu; Luo, Jiong; Yuan, Dan

2014-12-01

The fracture toughness of SA508-III steel was studied in the temperature range from room temperature to 320°C using the J-integral method. The fracture behavior of the steel was also investigated. It was found that the conditional fracture toughness ( J Q) of the steel first decreased and then increased with increasing test temperature. The maximum and minimum values of J Q were 517.4 kJ/m2 at 25°C and 304.5 kJ/m2 at 180°C, respectively. Dynamic strain aging (DSA) was also observed to occur when the temperature exceeded 260°C with a certain strain rate. Both the dislocation density and the number of small dislocation cells effectively increased because of the occurrence of DSA; as a consequence, crack propagation was more strongly inhibited in the steel. Simultaneously, an increasing number of fine carbides precipitated under high stress at temperatures greater than 260°C. Thus, the deformation resistance of the steel was improved and the J Q was enhanced.

Strength, Fracture Toughness, Fatigue, and Standardization Issues of Free-standing Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Zhu, Dong-Ming; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

Strength, fracture toughness and fatigue behavior of free-standing thick thermal barrier coatings of plasma-sprayed ZrO2-8wt % Y2O3 were determined at ambient and elevated temperatures in an attempt to establish a database for design. Strength, in conjunction with deformation (stress-strain behavior), was evaluated in tension (uniaxial and trans-thickness), compression, and uniaxial and biaxial flexure; fracture toughness was determined in various load conditions including mode I, mode II, and mixed modes I and II; fatigue or slow crack growth behavior was estimated in cyclic tension and dynamic flexure loading. Effect of sintering was quantified through approaches using strength, fracture toughness, and modulus (constitutive relations) measurements. Standardization issues on test methodology also was presented with a special regard to material's unique constitutive relations.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MICROSTRUCTURAL VARIATIONS ON THE FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF HUMAN DENTIN

PubMed Central

Ivancik, J.; Arola, D.

2012-01-01

The crack growth resistance of human dentin was characterized as a function of relative distance from the DEJ and the corresponding microstructure. Compact tension specimens were prepared from the coronal dentin of caries-free 3rd molars. The specimens were sectioned from either the outer, middle or inner dentin. Stable crack extension was achieved under Mode I quasi-static loading, with the crack oriented in-plane with the tubules, and the crack growth resistance was characterized in terms of the initiation (Ko), growth (Kg) and plateau (Kp) toughness. A hybrid approach was also used to quantify the contribution of dominant mechanisms to the overall toughness. Results showed that human dentin exhibits increasing crack growth resistance with crack extension in all regions, and that the fracture toughness of inner dentin (2.2±0.5 MPa•m0.5) was significantly lower than that of middle (2.7±0.2 MPa•m0.5) and outer regions (3.4±0.3 MPa•m0.5). Extrinsic toughening, composed mostly of crack bridging, was estimated to cause an average increase in the fracture energy of 26% in all three regions. Based on these findings, dental restorations extended into deep dentin are much more likely to cause tooth fracture due to the greater potential for introduction of flaws and decrease in fracture toughness with depth. PMID:23131531

Study of fracture toughness of ZrO2 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deryugin, Yevgeny; Narkevich, Natalya; Vlasov, Ilya; Panin, Victor; Danilenko, Igor; Schmauder, Siegfried

2017-12-01

The fracture toughness characteristics of ZrO2ceramics were determined experimentally using an original technique of wedging small-sized chevron notch specimens developed at the Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science SB RAS (Russia) in the laboratory of physical mesomechanics of materials and non-destructive testing. Measurements have shown that inelastic displacements can be more than 22% of the total displacement of the consoles by the time of the specimen failure. The effect of the Y2O3 stabilizer on the critical stress intensity factor KIc was verified. It was shown that an increase in the Y2O3 stabilizer content from 3 to 8% significantly decreases the fracture toughness. The stress intensity factor KIc falls within the range from 5.7 to 2.35 MPa m1/2.

Apparent Interfacial Fracture Toughness of Resin/Ceramic Systems

PubMed Central

Della Bona, A.; Anusavice, K.J.; Mecholsky, J.J.

2008-01-01

We suggest that the apparent interfacial fracture toughness (KA) may be estimated by fracture mechanics and fractography. This study tested the hypothesis that the KA of the adhesion zone of resin/ceramic systems is affected by the ceramic microstructure. Lithia disilicate-based (Empress2-E2) and leucite-based (Empress-E1) ceramics were surface-treated with hydrofluoric acid (HF) and/or silane (S), followed by an adhesive resin. Microtensile test specimens (n = 30; area of 1 ± 0.01 mm2) were indented (9.8 N) at the interface and loaded to failure in tension. We used tensile strength (σ) and the critical crack size (c) to calculate KA (KA = Yσc1/2) (Y = 1.65). ANOVA and Weibull analyses were used for statistical analyses. Mean KA (MPa•m1/2) values were: (E1HF) 0.26 ± 0.06; (E1S) 0.23 ± 0.06; (E1HFS) 0.30 ± 0.06; (E2HF) 0.31 ± 0.06; (E2S) 0.13 ± 0.05; and (E2HFS) 0.41 ± 0.07. All fractures originated from indentation sites. Estimation of interfacial toughness was feasible by fracture mechanics and fractography. The KA for the systems tested was affected by the ceramic microstructure and surface treatment. PMID:17062746

Simplified data reduction methods for the ECT test for mode 3 interlaminar fracture toughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jian; Obrien, T. Kevin

1995-01-01

Simplified expressions for the parameter controlling the load point compliance and strain energy release rate were obtained for the Edge Crack Torsion (ECT) specimen for mode 3 interlaminar fracture toughness. Data reduction methods for mode 3 toughness based on the present analysis are proposed. The effect of the transverse shear modulus, G(sub 23), on mode 3 interlaminar fracture toughness characterization was evaluated. Parameters influenced by the transverse shear modulus were identified. Analytical results indicate that a higher value of G(sub 23) results in a low load point compliance and lower mode 3 toughness estimation. The effect of G(sub 23) on the mode 3 toughness using the ECT specimen is negligible when an appropriate initial delamination length is chosen. A conservative estimation of mode 3 toughness can be obtained by assuming G(sub 23) = G(sub 12) for any initial delamination length.

Effects of irradiation to 4 dpa at 390 C on the fracture toughness of vanadium alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gruber, E.E.; Galvin, T.M.; Chopra, O.K.

Fracture toughness J-R curve tests were conducted at room temperature on disk-shaped compact-tension DC(T) specimens of three vanadium alloys having a nominal composition of V-4Cr-4Ti. The alloys in the nonirradiated condition showed high fracture toughness; J{sub IC} could not be determined but is expected to be above 600 kJ/m{sup 2}. The alloys showed very poor fracture toughness after irradiation to 4 dpa at 390 C, e.g., J{sub IC} values of {approx}10 kJ/m{sup 2} or lower.

Generalized Fracture Toughness and Compressive Strength of Sustainable Concrete Including Low Calcium Fly Ash.

PubMed

Golewski, Grzegorz Ludwik

2017-12-06

The paper presents the results of tests on the effect of the low calcium fly ash (LCFA) addition, in the amounts of: 0% (LCFA-00), 20% (LCFA-20) and 30% (LCFA-30) by weight of cement, on fracture processes in structural concretes. In the course of the experiments, compressive strength of concrete and fracture toughness for: I (tensile), II (in-plane shear) and III (anti-plane shear) models of cracking were measured. The tests determined the effect of age of concretes modified with LCFA on the analyzed parameters. The experiments were carried out after: 3, 7, 28, 90, 180 and 365 days of curing. Fracture toughness of concretes was determined in terms of the critical stress intensity factors: K I c S , K I I c , K I I I c and then a generalized fracture toughness K c was specified. The obtained results are significant for the analysis of concrete structures subjected to complex loading. The properties of composites with the additive of LCFA depend on the age of the concrete tested. Mature concretes exhibit high fracture toughness at 20% additive of LCFA, while the additive of LCFA in the amount of 30% weight of cement has a beneficial effect on the parameters of concrete only after half a year of curing.

Generalized Fracture Toughness and Compressive Strength of Sustainable Concrete Including Low Calcium Fly Ash

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The paper presents the results of tests on the effect of the low calcium fly ash (LCFA) addition, in the amounts of: 0% (LCFA-00), 20% (LCFA-20) and 30% (LCFA-30) by weight of cement, on fracture processes in structural concretes. In the course of the experiments, compressive strength of concrete and fracture toughness for: I (tensile), II (in-plane shear) and III (anti-plane shear) models of cracking were measured. The tests determined the effect of age of concretes modified with LCFA on the analyzed parameters. The experiments were carried out after: 3, 7, 28, 90, 180 and 365 days of curing. Fracture toughness of concretes was determined in terms of the critical stress intensity factors: KIcS, KIIc, KIIIc and then a generalized fracture toughness Kc was specified. The obtained results are significant for the analysis of concrete structures subjected to complex loading. The properties of composites with the additive of LCFA depend on the age of the concrete tested. Mature concretes exhibit high fracture toughness at 20% additive of LCFA, while the additive of LCFA in the amount of 30% weight of cement has a beneficial effect on the parameters of concrete only after half a year of curing. PMID:29211029

Fracture toughness of heat cured denture base acrylic resin modified with Chlorhexidine and Fluconazole as bioactive compounds.

PubMed

Al-Haddad, Alaa; Vahid Roudsari, Reza; Satterthwaite, Julian D

2014-02-01

This study investigated the impact of incorporating Chlorhexidine and Fluconazole as bioactive compounds on the fracture toughness of conventional heat cured denture base acrylic resin material (PMMA). 30 single edge-notched (SEN) samples were prepared and divided into three groups. 10% (mass) Chlorhexidine and 10% (mass) Diflucan powder (4.5% mass Fluconazole) were added to heat cured PMMA respectively to create the two study groups. A third group of conventional heat cured PMMA was prepared as the control group. Fracture toughness (3-point bending test) was carried out for each sample and critical force (Fc) and critical stress intensity factor (KIC) values measured. Data were subject to parametric statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA and Post hoc Bonferroni test (p=0.05). Fluconazole had no significant effect on the fracture toughness of the PMMA while Chlorhexidine significantly reduced the KIC and therefore affected the fracture toughness. When considering addition of a bioactive material to PMMA acrylic, Chlorhexidine will result in reduced fracture toughness of the acrylic base while Fluconazole has no effect. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microstructure-dependent fracture toughness (JIC) variations in dissimilar pipe welds for pressure vessel system of nuclear plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathod, Dinesh W.; Pandey, Sunil; Singh, P. K.; Kumar, Suranjit

2017-09-01

In present study, dissimilar metal weld (DMW) joints between SA508Gr.3cl.1 ferritic steel and SS304LN pipes were prepared using Inconel 82/182, and Inconel 52/152 consumables. Metallurgical properties and their influence on fracture toughness of weldment regions and interfacial regions could play a significant role in integrity assessment of these joints. Ni-based consumables exhibit complex metallurgical properties at interfacial regions. The metallurgical characterization and fracture toughness studies of Inconel 82/182 and Inconel 52/152 joints have been carried out for determining the optimum consumable for DMW joint requirements and the effect of microstructure on fracture toughness in weldment regions. The present codes and procedures for integrity assessment of DMW joints have not given due considerations of metallurgical properties. The requirements for metallurgical properties by considering their effect on fracture toughness properties in integrity assessment have been discussed for reliable analysis. Inconel 82/182 is preferred over Inconel 52/152 joints owing to favorable metallurgical and fracture toughness properties across the interfacial and weldment regions.

Gamma irradiation alters fatigue-crack behavior and fracture toughness in 1900H and GUR 1050 UHMWPE.

PubMed

Cole, Jantzen C; Lemons, Jack E; Eberhardt, Alan W

2002-01-01

Pitting and delamination remain causative factors of polyethylene failure in total knee replacement. Gamma irradiation induces cross linking in ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, which has been shown to improve wear resistance. Irradiation may reduce fracture toughness and fatigue strength, however, and the effects of irradiation are dependent upon the resin, processing technique, and radiation dose. The effects of varying levels of gamma irradiation (0, 33, 66, and 100 kGy) on the fracture toughness and fatigue-crack resistance of UHMWPE, isostatically molded from 1900H and GUR 1050 resins, were examined. Paris law regressions were performed to quantify fatigue-crack propagation rates as functions of change in stress intensity, and J-integral methods were used to quantify the elastic-plastic fracture toughness. The results indicated that gamma irradiation reduced the resistance of both materials to fatigue-crack growth, and that the reductions were radiation dosage and resin dependent. Irradiation at any level was detrimental to the fracture toughness of the 1900H specimens. Irradiation at 33 kGy increased fracture toughness for the GUR 1050 specimens, and substantial reductions were observed only at the highest irradiation level. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface revealed diamond-like fracture patterns of the nonirradiated specimens indicative of ductile, multilevel fracture. Pronounced striations were apparent on these fracture surfaces, oriented perpendicular to the direction of crack growth. The striations appeared as folds in surface layers of the GUR 1050 specimens. At the highest irradiation levels, the striations were nearly eliminated on the fracture surfaces of the 1900H specimens, and were markedly less severe for the GUR 1050. These results demonstrated that at higher irradiation levels the materials became more brittle in fatigue, with less ductile folding and tearing of the fracture surfaces. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals

Interfacial fracture toughness of different resin cements bonded to a lithium disilicate glass ceramic.

PubMed

Hooshmand, Tabassom; Rostami, Golriz; Behroozibakhsh, Marjan; Fatemi, Mostafa; Keshvad, Alireza; van Noort, Richard

2012-02-01

To evaluate the effect of HF acid etching and silane treatment on the interfacial fracture toughness of a self-adhesive and two conventional resin-based cements bonded to a lithium disilicate glass ceramic. Lithium disilicate glass ceramic discs were prepared with two different surface preparations consisting of gritblasted with aluminium oxide, and gritblasted and etched with hydrofluoric acid. Ceramic surfaces with a chevron shaped circular hole were treated by an optimized silane treatment followed by an unfilled resin and then three different resin cements (Variolink II, Panavia F2, and Multilink Sprint). Specimens were kept in distilled water at 37°C for 24h and then subjected to thermocycling. The interfacial fracture toughness was measured and mode of failures was also examined. Data were analysed using analysis of variance followed by T-test analysis. No statistically significant difference in the mean fracture toughness values between the gritblasted and gritblasted and etched surfaces for Variolink II resin cement was found (P>0.05). For the gritblasted ceramic surfaces, no significant difference in the mean fracture toughness values between Panavia F2 and Variolink II was observed (P>0.05). For the gritblasted and etched ceramic surfaces, a significantly higher fracture toughness for Panavia F2 than the other cements was found (P<0.05). The interfacial fracture toughness for the lithium disilicate glass ceramic system was affected by the surface treatment and the type of luting agent. Dual-cured resin cements demonstrated a better bonding efficacy to the lithium disilicate glass ceramic compared to the self-adhesive resin cement. The lithium disilicate glass ceramic surfaces should be gritblasted and etched to get the best bond when used with Panavia F2 and Multilink Sprint resin cements, whereas for the Variolink II only gritblasting is required. The best bond overall is achieved with Panavia F2. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fracture toughness, diametrical strength, and fractography of amalgam and of amalgam to amalgam bonds.

PubMed

Bapna, M S; Mueller, H J

1993-01-01

Chevron-notch fracture toughness, diametrical tensile strength and fractography were evaluated for bulk amalgams and for bonds formed between new and 1-day-old amalgams of the same type. Three types of bonded specimens were prepared: 1) by mechanically roughening the 1-day-old amalgam with 600-grit paper; 2) using a new mercury-rich amalgam; and 3) using a bonding resin, either 4-META or a phosphate ester monomer. Similar values in bond properties were obtained with all bonding techniques for two commercial dispersed-phase bonded amalgams, one of which contained palladium; however, bulk fracture toughness of the palladium-containing amalgam was significantly less than for the palladium-free amalgam. This result reveals that the bonding of amalgam to amalgam, at least for these two amalgams, is a surface-related phenomenon, and thus, the traditional reporting of bonding properties as a percentage of bulk properties loses meaning. Short-rod geometry was more representative of the interfacial bond properties since these samples fractured within the interfacial bonds, while diametrical strength samples often fractured slightly away from the interface. The use of bonding resins did not improve bond fracture toughness for either amalgam, while the diametrical strength improved for one of the amalgams. The use of mercury-rich amalgam significantly improved the fracture toughness over all other techniques for one amalgam while proving to be similar to a 600-grit preparation for the second amalgam.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fracture Toughness and Elastic Modulus of Epoxy-Based Nanocomposites with Dopamine-Modified Nano-Fillers

PubMed Central

Koh, Kwang Liang; Ji, Xianbai; Lu, Xuehong; Lau, Soo Khim; Chen, Zhong

2017-01-01

This paper examines the effect of surface treatment and filler shape factor on the fracture toughness and elastic modulus of epoxy-based nanocomposite. Two forms of nanofillers, polydopamine-coated montmorillonite clay (D-clay) and polydopamine-coated carbon nanofibres (D-CNF) were investigated. It was found that Young’s modulus increases with increasing D-clay and D-CNF loading. However, the fracture toughness decreases with increased D-clay loading but increases with increased D-CNF loading. Explanations have been provided with the aid of fractographic analysis using electron microscope observations of the crack-filler interactions. Fractographic analysis suggests that although polydopamine provides a strong adhesion between the fillers and the matrix, leading to enhanced elastic stiffness, the enhancement prohibits energy release via secondary cracking, resulting in a decrease in fracture toughness. In contrast, 1D fibre is effective in increasing the energy dissipation during fracture through crack deflection, fibre debonding, fibre break, and pull-out. PMID:28773136

Bone toughness at the molecular scale: A model for fracture toughness using crosslinked osteopontin on synthetic and biogenic mineral substrates.

PubMed

Cavelier, S; Dastjerdi, A K; McKee, M D; Barthelat, F

2018-05-01

The most prominent structural components in bone are collagen and mineral. However, bone additionally contains a substantial amount of noncollagenous proteins (most notably of the SIBLING protein family), some of which may act as cohesive/adhesive "binders" for the composite hybrid collagen/mineral scaffolding, whether in the bulk phase of bone, or at its interfaces. One such noncollagenous protein - osteopontin (OPN) - appears to be critical to the deformability and fracture toughness of bone. In the present study, we used a reconstructed synthetic mineral-OPN-mineral interface, and a biogenic (natural tooth dentin) mineral/collagen-OPN-mineral/collagen interface, to measure the fracture toughness of OPN on mineralized substrates. We used this system to test the hypothesis that OPN crosslinking by the enzyme tissue transglutaminase 2 (TG2) that is found in bone enhances interfacial adhesion to increase the fracture toughness of bone. For this, we prepared double-cantilever beam substrates of synthetic pure hydroxyapatite mineral, and of narwhal dentin, and directly apposed them to one another under different intervening OPN/crosslinking conditions, and fracture toughness was tested using a miniaturized loading stage. The work-of-fracture of the OPN interface was measured for different OPN formulations (monomer vs. polymer), crosslinking states, and substrate composition. Noncrosslinked OPN provided negligible adhesion on pure hydroxyapatite, whereas OPN crosslinking (by the chemical crosslinker glutaraldehyde, and TG2 enzyme) provided strong interfacial adhesion for both hydroxyapatite and dentin using monomeric and polymeric OPN. Pre-coating of the substrate beams with monomeric OPN further improved the adhesive performance of the samples, likely by allowing effective binding of this nascent OPN form to mineral/matrix components, with this pre-attachment providing a protein layer for additional crosslinking between the substrates. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc

Effects of stitching on fracture toughness of uniweave textile graphite/epoxy laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sankar, Bhavani V.; Sharma, Suresh

1995-01-01

The effects of through-the-thickness stitching on impact damage resistance, impact damage tolerance, and Mode 1 and Mode 2 fracture toughness of textile graphite/epoxy laminates were studied experimentally. Graphite/epoxy laminates were fabricated from AS4 graphite uniweave textiles and 3501-6 epoxy using Resin Transfer Molding. The cloths were stitched with Kevlar(tm) and glass yarns before resin infusion. Delamination was implanted during processing to simulate impact damage. Sublaminate buckling tests were performed in a novel fixture to measure Compression After Impact (CAI) strength of stitched laminates. The results show that CAI strength can be improved up to 400% by through-the-thickness stitching. Double Cantilever Beam tests were performed to study the effect of stitching on Mode 1 fracture toughness G(sub 1c). It was found that G(sub 1c) increased 30 times for a low stitching density of 16 stitches/sq in. Mode 2 fracture toughness was measured by testing the stitched beams in End Notch Flexure tests. Unlike in the unstitiched beams, crack propagation in the stitched beams was steady. The current formulas for ENF tests were not found suitable for determining G(sub 2C) for stitched beams. Hence two new methods were developed - one based on crack area measured from ultrasonic C-scanning and the other based on equivalent crack area measured from the residual stiffness of the specimen. The G(sub 2c) was found to be at least 5-15 times higher for the stitched laminates. The mechanisms by which stitching increases the CAI strength and fracture toughness are discussed.

Fracture toughness of alloy 690 and EN52 welds in air and water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, C. M.; Mills, W. J.

2002-06-01

The effect of low- and high-temperature water with high hydrogen on the fracture toughness of alloy 690 and its weld, EN52, was characterized using elastic-plastic J IC methodology. While both materials display excellent fracture resistance in air and elevated-temperature (>93 °C) water, a dramatic degradation in toughness is observed in 54 °C water. The loss of toughness is associated with a hydrogen-induced intergranular cracking mechanism, where hydrogen is picked up from the water. Comparison of the cracking behavior in low-temperature water with that for hydrogen-precharged specimens tested in air indicates that the critical local hydrogen content required to cause low-temperature embrittlement is on the order of 120 to 160 ppm. Loading-rate studies show that cracking resistance is improved at rates above ˜ 1000 MPa √m/h, because there is insufficient time to produce grain-boundary embrittlement. Electron fractographic examinations were performed to correlate cracking behavior with microstructural features and operative fracture mechanisms.

Fiber reinforced solids possessing great fracture toughness: The role of interfacial strength

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkins, A. G.

1974-01-01

The high tensile strength characteristic of strong interfacial filament/matrix bonding can be combined with the high fracture toughness of weak interfacial bonding, when the filaments are arranged to have alternate sections of high and low shear stress (and low and high toughness). Such weak and strong areas can be achieved by appropriate intermittent coating of the fibers. An analysis is presented for toughness and strength which demonstrates, in broad terms, the effects of varying the coating parameters of concern. Results show that the toughness of interfaces is an important parameter, differences in which may not be shown up in terms of interfacial strength. Some observations are made upon methods of measuring the components of toughness in composites.

Investigation of temperature dependence of fracture toughness in high-dose HT9 steel using small-specimen reuse technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baek, Jong-Hyuk; Byun, Thak Sang; Maloy, Start A.; Toloczko, Mychailo B.

2014-01-01

The temperature dependence of fracture toughness in HT9 steel irradiated to 3-145 dpa at 380-503 °C was investigated using miniature three-point bend (TPB) fracture specimens. A miniature-specimen reuse technique has been established: the tested halves of subsize Charpy impact specimens with dimensions of 27 mm × 3 mm × 4 mm were reused for this fracture test campaign by cutting a notch with a diamond-saw in the middle of each half, and by fatigue-precracking to generate a sharp crack tip. It was confirmed that the fracture toughness of HT9 steel in the dose range depends more strongly on the irradiation temperature than the irradiation dose. At an irradiation temperature <430 °C, the fracture toughness of irradiated HT9 increased with the test temperature, reached an upper shelf of 180-200 MPa √{m} at 350-450 °C, and then decreased with the test temperature. At an irradiation temperature ⩾430 °C, the fracture toughness was nearly unchanged up to about 450 °C and decreased slowly with test temperatures in a higher temperature range. Such a rather monotonic test temperature dependence after high-temperature irradiation is similar to that observed for an archive material generally showing a higher degree of toughness. A brittle fracture without stable crack growth occurred in only a few specimens with relatively lower irradiation and test temperatures. In this discussion, these TPB fracture toughness data are compared with previously published data from 12.7 mm diameter disc compact tension (DCT) specimens.

Investigation of temperature dependence of fracture toughness in high-dose HT9 steel using small-specimen reuse technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baek, Jong-Hyuk; Byun, Thak Sang; Maloy, S

2014-01-01

The temperature dependence of fracture toughness in HT9 steel irradiated to 3 145 dpa at 380 503 C was investigated using miniature three-point bend (TPB) fracture specimens. A miniature-specimen reuse technique has been established: the tested halves of subsize Charpy impact specimens with dimensions of 27 mm 3mm 4 mm were reused for this fracture test campaign by cutting a notch with a diamond-saw in the middle of each half, and by fatigue-precracking to generate a sharp crack tip. It was confirmed that the fracture toughness of HT9 steel in the dose range depends more strongly on the irradiation temperaturemore » than the irradiation dose. At an irradiation temperature <430 C, the fracture toughness of irradiated HT9 increased with the test temperature, reached an upper shelf of 180 200 MPa ffiffiffiffiffi m p at 350 450 C, and then decreased with the test temperature. At an irradiation temperatureP430 C, the fracture toughness was nearly unchanged up to about 450 C and decreased slowly with test temperatures in a higher temperature range. Such a rather monotonic test temperature dependence after high-temperature irradiation is similar to that observed for an archive material generally showing a higher degree of toughness. A brittle fracture without stable crack growth occurred in only a few specimens with relatively lower irradiation and test temperatures. In this discussion, these TPB fracture toughness data are compared with previously published data from 12.7 mm diameter disc compact tension (DCT) specimens.« less

Investigation of temperature dependence of fracture toughness in high-dose HT9 steel using small-specimen reuse technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baek, Jong-Hyuk; Byun, Thak Sang; Maloy, Stuart A.

2014-01-01

The temperature dependence of fracture toughness in HT9 steel irradiated to 3–145 dpa at 380–503 degrees*C was investigated using miniature three-point bend (TPB) fracture specimens. A miniature-specimen reuse technique has been established: the tested halves of subsize Charpy impact specimens with dimensions of 27 mm *3mm* 4 mm were reused for this fracture test campaign by cutting a notch with a diamond-saw in the middle of each half, and by fatigue-precracking to generate a sharp crack tip. It was confirmed that the fracture toughness of HT9 steel in the dose range depends more strongly on the irradiation temperature than themore » irradiation dose. At an irradiation temperature <430 *degreesC, the fracture toughness of irradiated HT9 increased with the test temperature, reached an upper shelf of 180—200 MPa*m^.5 at 350–450 degrees*C, and then decreased with the test temperature. At an irradiation temperature >430 degrees*C, the fracture toughness was nearly unchanged up to about 450 *degreesC and decreased slowly with test temperatures in a higher temperature range. Such a rather monotonic test temperature dependence after high-temperature irradiation is similar to that observed for an archive material generally showing a higher degree of toughness. A brittle fracture without stable crack growth occurred in only a few specimens with relatively lower irradiation and test temperatures. In this discussion, these TPB fracture toughness data are compared with previously published data from 12.7 mm diameter disc compact tension (DCT) specimens.« less

A novel pillar indentation splitting test for measuring fracture toughness of thin ceramic coatings

DOE PAGES

Sebastiani, Marco; Johanns, K. E.; Herbert, Erik G.; ...

2014-05-16

Fracture toughness is an important material property that plays a role in determining the in-service mechanical performance and adhesion of thin ceramic films. Unfortunately, measuring thin film fracture toughness is affected by influences from the substrate and the large residual stresses that can exist in the films. In this paper, we explore a promising new technique that potentially overcomes these problems based on nanoindentation testing of micro-pillars produced by focused ion beam milling of the films. By making the pillar diameter approximately equal to its length, the residual stress in the pillar’s upper portion is almost fully relaxed, and whenmore » indented with a sharp Berkovich indenter, the pillars fracture by splitting at reproducible loads that are readily quantified by a sudden displacement excursion in the load displacement behavior. Cohesive finite element simulations are used to analyze and develop, for a given material, a simple relation between the critical load at failure, pillar radius, and fracture toughness. The main novel aspect of this work is that neither crack geometries nor crack sizes need to be measured post test. Furthermore, the residual stress can be measured at the same time with toughness, by comparing the indentation results from the stress-free pillars and the as-deposited film. The method is tested on three different hard coatings formed by physical vapor deposition: titanium nitride, chromium nitride, and a CrAlN/Si 3N 4 nanocomposite. Results compare well to independently measured values of fracture toughness for the three brittle films. The technique offers several benefits over existing methods.« less

Shape effect of ultrafine-grained structure on static fracture toughness in low-alloy steel.

PubMed

Inoue, Tadanobu; Kimura, Yuuji; Ochiai, Shojiro

2012-06-01

A 0.4C-2Si-1Cr-1Mo steel with an ultrafine elongated grain (UFEG) structure and an ultrafine equiaxed grain (UFG) structure was fabricated by multipass caliber rolling at 773 K and subsequent annealing at 973 K. A static three-point bending test was conducted at ambient temperature and at 77 K. The strength-toughness balance of the developed steels was markedly better than that of conventionally quenched and tempered steel with a martensitic structure. In particular, the static fracture toughness of the UFEG steel, having a yield strength of 1.86 GPa at ambient temperature, was improved by more than 40 times compared with conventional steel having a yield strength of 1.51 GPa. Furthermore, even at 77 K, the fracture toughness of the UFEG steel was about eight times higher than that of the conventional and UFG steels, despite the high strength of the UFEG steel (2.26 GPa). The UFG steel exhibited brittle fracture behavior at 77 K, as did the conventional steel, and no dimple structure was observed on the fracture surface. Therefore, it is difficult to improve the low-temperature toughness of the UFG steel by grain refinement only. The shape of crystal grains plays an important role in delamination toughening, as do their refinement and orientation.

Study of mixed mode fracture toughness and fracture trajectories in gypsum interlayers in corrosive environment

PubMed Central

Xiankai, Bao; Jinchang, Zhao

2018-01-01

Based on the engineering background of water dissolving mining for hydrocarbon storage in multi-laminated salt stratum, the mixed mode fracture toughness and fracture trajectory of gypsum interlayers soaked in half-saturated brine at various temperatures (20°C, 50°C and 80°C) were studied by using CSNBD (centrally straight-notched Brazilian disc) specimens with required inclination angles (0°, 7°, 15°, 22°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The results showed: (i) The fracture load of gypsum specimens first decreased then increased with increasing inclination angle, due to the effect of friction coefficient. When soaked in brine, the fracture toughness of gypsum specimens gradually decreased with increasing brine temperature. (ii) When soaked in brine, the crystal boundaries of gypsum separated and became clearer, and the boundaries became more open between the crystals with increasing brine temperature. Besides, tensile micro-cracks appeared on the gypsum crystals when soaked in 50°C brine, and the intensity of tensile cracks became more severe when soaking in 80°C brine. (iii) The experimental fracture envelopes derived from the conventional fracture criteria and lay outside these conventional criteria. The experimental fracture envelopes were dependent on the brine temperature and gradually expanded outward as brine temperature increases. (iv) The size of FPZ (fracture process zone) was greatly dependent on the damage degree of materials and gradually increased with increase of brine temperature. The study has important implication for the control of shape and size of salt cavern. PMID:29410841

PLANE STRAIN FRACTURE TOUGHNESS DATA FOR HANDBOOK PRESENTATION

DTIC Science & Technology

An experimental program was conducted to determine the plane strain fracture toughness (K sub IC) of the following classes of: (1) AISI Alloy Steels...4340, 4140 ); (2) 5Cr-Mo-V Steels; (3) Precipitation-Hardening Stainless Steels (17-7 PH, PH 15-7 Mo, 17-4, AM355); (4) Titanium Alloy, Ti-6Al-4V. The

Experimental analysis of quasi-static and dynamic fracture initiation toughness of gy4 armor steel material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Peng; Guo, Zitao

Quasi-static and dynamic fracture initiation toughness of gy4 armour steel material are investigated using three point bend specimen. The modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus with digital image correlation (DIC) system is applied to dynamic loading experiments. Full-field deformation measurements are obtained by using DIC to elucidate on the strain fields associated with the mechanical response. A series of experiments are conducted at different strain rate ranging from 10-3 s-1 to 103 s-1, and the loading rate on the fracture initiation toughness is investigated. Specially, the scanning electron microscope imaging technique is used to investigate the fracture failure micromechanism of fracture surfaces. The gy4 armour steel material fracture toughness is found to be sensitive to strain rate and higher for dynamic loading as compared to quasi-static loading. This work is supported by National Nature Science Foundation under Grant 51509115.

Fracture and fracture toughness of nanopolycrystalline metals produced by severe plastic deformation

PubMed Central

Hohenwarter, A.; Pippan, R.

2015-01-01

The knowledge of the fracture of bulk metallic materials developed in the last 50 years is mostly based on materials having grain sizes, d, in the range of some micrometres up to several hundred micrometres regarding the possibilities of classical metallurgical methods. Nowadays, novel techniques provide access to much smaller grain sizes, where severe plastic deformation (SPD) is one of the most significant techniques. This opens the door to extend basic research in fracture mechanics to the nanocrystalline (NC) grain size regime. From the technological point of view, there is also the necessity to evaluate standard fracture mechanics data of these new materials, such as the fracture toughness, in order to allow their implementation in engineering applications. Here, an overview of recent results on the fracture behaviour of several different ultrafine-grained (d<1 μm) and NC (d<100 nm) metals and alloys covering examples of body- and face-centred cubic structures produced by SPD will be given. PMID:25713459

Effect of Control Mode and Test Rate on the Measured Fracture Toughness of Advanced Ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hausmann, Bronson D.; Salem, Jonathan A.

2018-01-01

The effects of control mode and test rate on the measured fracture toughness of ceramics were evaluated by using chevron-notched flexure specimens in accordance with ASTM C1421. The use of stroke control gave consistent results with about 2% (statistically insignificant) variation in measured fracture toughness for a very wide range of rates (0.005 to 0.5 mm/min). Use of strain or crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) control gave approx. 5% (statistically significant) variation over a very wide range of rates (1 to 80 µm/m/s), with the measurements being a function of rate. However, the rate effect was eliminated by use of dry nitrogen, implying a stress corrosion effect rather than a stability effect. With the use of a nitrogen environment during strain controlled tests, fracture toughness values were within about 1% over a wide range of rates (1 to 80 micons/m/s). CMOD or strain control did allow stable crack extension well past maximum force, and thus is preferred for energy calculations. The effort is being used to confirm recommendations in ASTM Test Method C1421 on fracture toughness measurement.

Effect of microstructure and notch root radius on fracture toughness of an aluminum metal matrix composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manoharan, M.; Lewandowski, J. J.

1989-01-01

Recent results on the effects of matrix aging condition (matrix temper) and notch root radius on the measured fracture toughness of a SiC particulate reinforced aluminum alloy are reviewed. Stress intensity factors at catastrophic fracture were obtained for both underaged and overaged composites reveal. The linear relation found between apparent fracture toughness and the square root of the notch root radius implies a linear dependence of the crack opening displacement on the notch root radius. The results suggest a strain controlled fracture process, and indicate that there are differences in the fracture micromechanisms of the two aging conditions.

Crack growth rates and fracture toughness of irradiated austenitic stainless steels in BWR environments.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chopra, O. K.; Shack, W. J.

2008-01-21

In light water reactors, austenitic stainless steels (SSs) are used extensively as structural alloys in reactor core internal components because of their high strength, ductility, and fracture toughness. However, exposure to high levels of neutron irradiation for extended periods degrades the fracture properties of these steels by changing the material microstructure (e.g., radiation hardening) and microchemistry (e.g., radiation-induced segregation). Experimental data are presented on the fracture toughness and crack growth rates (CGRs) of wrought and cast austenitic SSs, including weld heat-affected-zone materials, that were irradiated to fluence levels as high as {approx} 2x 10{sup 21} n/cm{sup 2} (E > 1more » MeV) ({approx} 3 dpa) in a light water reactor at 288-300 C. The results are compared with the data available in the literature. The effects of material composition, irradiation dose, and water chemistry on CGRs under cyclic and stress corrosion cracking conditions were determined. A superposition model was used to represent the cyclic CGRs of austenitic SSs. The effects of neutron irradiation on the fracture toughness of these steels, as well as the effects of material and irradiation conditions and test temperature, have been evaluated. A fracture toughness trend curve that bounds the existing data has been defined. The synergistic effects of thermal and radiation embrittlement of cast austenitic SS internal components have also been evaluated.« less

Dynamic fracture instability of tough bulk metallic glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, J. X.; Ling, Z.; Jiang, M. Q.; Zhang, H. S.; Dai, L. H.

2008-04-01

We report the observations of a clear fractographic evolution from vein pattern, dimple structure, and then to periodic corrugation structure, followed by microbranching pattern, along the crack propagation direction in the dynamic fracture of a tough Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 (Vit.1) bulk metallic glass (BMGs) under high-velocity plate impact. A model based on fracture surface energy dissipation and void growth is proposed to characterize this fracture pattern transition. We find that once the dynamic crack propagation velocity reaches a critical fraction of Rayleigh wave speed, the crack instability occurs; hence, crack microbranching goes ahead. Furthermore, the correlation between the critical velocity of amorphous materials and their intrinsic strength such as Young's modulus is uncovered. The results may shed new insight into dynamic fracture instability for BMGs.

2016 Accomplishments. Tritium aging studies on stainless steel. Forging process effects on the fracture toughness properties of tritium-precharged stainless steel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, Michael J.

Forged austenitic stainless steels are used as the materials of construction for pressure vessels designed to contain tritium at high pressure. These steels are highly resistant to tritium-assisted fracture but their resistance can depend on the details of the forging microstructure. During FY16, the effects of forging strain rate and deformation temperature on the fracture toughness properties of tritium-exposed-and-aged Type 304L stainless steel were studied. Forgings were produced from a single heat of steel using four types of production forging equipment – hydraulic press, mechanical press, screw press, and high-energy-rate forging (HERF). Each machine imparted a different nominal strain ratemore » during the deformation. The objective of the study was to characterize the J-Integral fracture toughness properties as a function of the industrial strain rate and temperature. The second objective was to measure the effects of tritium and decay helium on toughness. Tritium and decay helium effects were measured by thermally precharging the as-forged specimens with tritium gas at 34.5 MPa and 350°C and aging for up to five years at -80°C to build-in decay helium prior to testing. The results of this study show that the fracture toughness properties of the as-forged steels vary with forging strain rate and forging temperature. The effect is largely due to yield strength as the higher-strength forgings had the lower toughness values. For non-charged specimens, fracture toughness properties were improved by forging at 871°C versus 816°C and Screw-Press forgings tended to have lower fracture toughness values than the other forgings. Tritium exposures reduced the fracture toughness values remarkably to fracture toughness values averaging 10-20% of as-forged values. However, forging strain rate and temperature had little or no effect on the fracture toughness after tritium precharging and aging. The result was confirmed by fractography which indicated that

Bone tissue heterogeneity is associated with fracture toughness: a polarization Raman spectroscopy study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowski, Alexander J.; Granke, Mathilde; Uppuganti, Sasidhar; Mahadevan-Jansen, Anita; Nyman, Jeffry S.

2015-02-01

Polarization Raman Spectroscopy has been used to demonstrate microstructural features and collagen fiber orientation in human and mouse bone, concurrently measuring both organization and composition; however, it is unclear as to what extent these measurements explain the mechanical quality of bone. In a cohort of age and gender matched cadaveric cortical bone samples (23-101 yr.), we show homogeneity of both composition and structure are associated with the age related decrease in fracture toughness. 64 samples were machined into uniform specimens and notched for mechanical fracture toughness testing and polished for Raman Spectroscopy. Fingerprint region spectra were acquired on wet bone prior to mechanical testing by sampling nine different microstructural features spaced in a 750x750 μm grid in the region of intended crack propagation. After ASTM E1820 single edge notched beam fracture toughness tests, the sample was dried in ethanol and the osteonal-interstitial border of one osteon was samples in a 32x32 grid of 2μm2 pixels for two orthogonal orientations relative to the long bone axis. Standard peak ratios from the 9 separate microstructures show heterogeneity between structures but do not sufficiently explain fracture toughness; however, peak ratios from mapping highlight both lamellar contrast (ν1Phos/Amide I) and osteon-interstitial contrast (ν1Phos/Proline). Combining registered orthogonal maps allowed for multivariate analysis of underlying biochemical signatures. Image entropy and homogeneity metrics of single principal components significantly explain resistance to crack initiation and propagation. Ultimately, a combination of polarization content and multivariate Raman signatures allowed for the association of microstructural tissue heterogeneity with fracture resistance.

Adaptation of the chevron-notch beam fracture toughness method to specimens harvested from diesel particulate filters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wereszczak, Andrew; Jadaan, Osama; Modugno, Max

In this paper, the apparent fracture toughness of a porous cordierite ceramic was estimated using a large specimen whose geometry was inspired by the ASTM-C1421-standardized chevron-notch beam. In this paper, using the same combination of experiment and analysis used to develop the standardized chevron-notch test for small, monolithic ceramic bend bars, an apparent fracture toughness of 0.6 and 0.9 MPa√m were estimated for an unaged and aged cordierite diesel particulate filter structure, respectively. Finally, the effectiveness and simplicity of this adapted specimen geometry and test method lends itself to the evaluation of (macroscopic) apparent fracture toughness of an entire porous-ceramic,more » diesel particulate filter structure.« less

Adaptation of the chevron-notch beam fracture toughness method to specimens harvested from diesel particulate filters

DOE PAGES

Wereszczak, Andrew; Jadaan, Osama; Modugno, Max; ...

2017-01-18

In this paper, the apparent fracture toughness of a porous cordierite ceramic was estimated using a large specimen whose geometry was inspired by the ASTM-C1421-standardized chevron-notch beam. In this paper, using the same combination of experiment and analysis used to develop the standardized chevron-notch test for small, monolithic ceramic bend bars, an apparent fracture toughness of 0.6 and 0.9 MPa√m were estimated for an unaged and aged cordierite diesel particulate filter structure, respectively. Finally, the effectiveness and simplicity of this adapted specimen geometry and test method lends itself to the evaluation of (macroscopic) apparent fracture toughness of an entire porous-ceramic,more » diesel particulate filter structure.« less

2015 Accomplishments-Tritium aging studies on stainless steel. Effects of hydrogen isotopes, crack orientation, and specimen geometry on fracture toughness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, Michael J.

This study reports on the effects of hydrogen isotopes, crack orientation, and specimen geometry on the fracture toughness of stainless steels. Fracture toughness variability was investigated for Type 21-6-9 stainless steel using the 7K0004 forging. Fracture toughness specimens were cut from the forging in two different geometric configurations: arc shape and disc shape. The fracture toughness properties were measured at ambient temperature before and after exposure to hydrogen gas and compared to prior studies. There are three main conclusions that can be drawn from the results. First, the fracture toughness properties of actual reservoir forgings and contemporary heats of steelmore » are much higher than those measured in earlier studies that used heats of steel from the 1980s and 1990s and forward extruded forgings which were designed to simulate reservoir microstructures. This is true for as-forged heats as well as forged heats exposed to hydrogen gas. Secondly, the study confirms the well-known observation that cracks oriented parallel to the forging grain flow will propagate easier than those oriented perpendicular to the grain flow. However, what was not known, but is shown here, is that this effect is more pronounced, particularly after hydrogen exposures, when the forging is given a larger upset. In brick forgings, which have a relatively low amount of upset, the fracture toughness variation with specimen orientation is less than 5%; whereas, in cup forgings, the fracture toughness is about 20% lower than that forging to show how specimen geometry affects fracture toughness values. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) specifies minimum specimen section sizes for valid fracture toughness values. However, sub-size specimens have long been used to study tritium effects because of the physical limitation of diffusing hydrogen isotopes into stainless steel at mild temperatures so as to not disturb the underlying forged microstructure. This study

Shape effect of ultrafine-grained structure on static fracture toughness in low-alloy steel

PubMed Central

Inoue, Tadanobu; Kimura, Yuuji; Ochiai, Shojiro

2012-01-01

A 0.4C-2Si-1Cr-1Mo steel with an ultrafine elongated grain (UFEG) structure and an ultrafine equiaxed grain (UFG) structure was fabricated by multipass caliber rolling at 773 K and subsequent annealing at 973 K. A static three-point bending test was conducted at ambient temperature and at 77 K. The strength–toughness balance of the developed steels was markedly better than that of conventionally quenched and tempered steel with a martensitic structure. In particular, the static fracture toughness of the UFEG steel, having a yield strength of 1.86 GPa at ambient temperature, was improved by more than 40 times compared with conventional steel having a yield strength of 1.51 GPa. Furthermore, even at 77 K, the fracture toughness of the UFEG steel was about eight times higher than that of the conventional and UFG steels, despite the high strength of the UFEG steel (2.26 GPa). The UFG steel exhibited brittle fracture behavior at 77 K, as did the conventional steel, and no dimple structure was observed on the fracture surface. Therefore, it is difficult to improve the low-temperature toughness of the UFG steel by grain refinement only. The shape of crystal grains plays an important role in delamination toughening, as do their refinement and orientation. PMID:27877493

Dynamic toughness in elastic nonlinear viscous solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, S.; Guo, T. F.; Cheng, L.

2009-02-01

This work addresses the interrelationship among dissipative mechanisms—material separation in the fracture process zone (FPZ), nonelastic deformation in the surrounding background material and kinetic energy—and how they affect the macroscopic dynamic fracture toughness as well as the limiting crack speed in strain rate sensitive materials. To this end, a micromechanics-based model for void growth in a nonlinear viscous solid is incorporated into a microporous strip of cell elements that forms the FPZ. The latter is surrounded by background material described by conventional constitutive relations. In the first part of the paper, the background material is assumed to be purely elastic. Here, the computed dynamic fracture toughness is a convex function of crack velocity. In the second part, the background material as well as the FPZ are described by similar rate-sensitivity parameters. Voids grow in the strain rate strengthened FPZ as the crack velocity increases. Consequently, the work of separation increases. By contrast, the inelastic dissipation in the background material appears to be a concave function of crack velocity. At the lower crack velocity regime, where dissipation in the background material is dominant, toughness decreases as crack velocity increases. At high crack velocities, inelastic deformation enhanced by the inertial force can cause a sharp increase in toughness. Here, the computed toughness increases rapidly with crack velocity. There exist regimes where the toughness is a non-monotonic function of the crack velocity. Two length scales—the width of the FPZ and the ratio of the shear wave speed to the reference strain rate—can be shown to strongly affect the dynamic fracture toughness. Our computational simulations can predict experimental data for fracture toughness vs. crack velocity reported in several studies for amorphous polymeric materials.

Fracture toughness of Alloy 690 and EN52 weld in air and water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, C.M.; Mills, W.J.

1999-06-01

The effect of low and high temperature water with high hydrogen on the fracture toughness of Alloy 690 and its weld, EN52, was characterized using elastic-plastic J{sub IC} methodology. While both materials display excellent fracture resistance in air and elevated temperature (>93 C) water, a dramatic degradation in toughness is observed in 54 C water. The loss of toughness is associated with a hydrogen-induced intergranular cracking mechanism where hydrogen is picked up from the water. Comparison of the cracking behavior in low temperature water with that for hydrogen-precharged specimens tested in air indicates that the critical local hydrogen content requiredmore » to cause low temperature embrittlement is on the order of 120 to 160 ppm. Loading rate studies show that the cracking resistance is significantly improved at rates above ca. 1000 MPa{radical}m/h because there is insufficient time to produce grain boundary embrittlement. Electron fractographic examinations were performed to correlate cracking behavior with microstructural features and operative fracture mechanics.« less

Enhancement of Fracture Toughness of Epoxy Nanocomposites by Combining Nanotubes and Nanosheets as Fillers

PubMed Central

Domun, Nadiim; Paton, Keith R.; Sainsbury, Toby; Zhang, Tao; Mohamud, Hibaaq

2017-01-01

In this work the fracture toughness of epoxy resin has been improved through the addition of low loading of single part and hybrid nanofiller materials. Functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) was used as single filler, increased the critical strain energy release rate, GIC, by 57% compared to the neat epoxy, at only 0.1 wt% filler content. Importantly, no degradation in the tensile or thermal properties of the nanocomposite was observed compared to the neat epoxy. When two-dimensional boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) were added along with the one-dimensional f-MWCNTs, the fracture toughness increased further to 71.6% higher than that of the neat epoxy. Interestingly, when functionalised graphene nanoplatelets (f-GNPs) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) were used as hybrid filler, the fracture toughness of neat epoxy is improved by 91.9%. In neither of these hybrid filler systems the tensile properties were degraded, but the thermal properties of the nanocomposites containing boron nitride materials deteriorated slightly. PMID:29048345

Enhancement of Fracture Toughness of Epoxy Nanocomposites by Combining Nanotubes and Nanosheets as Fillers.

PubMed

Domun, Nadiim; Paton, Keith R; Hadavinia, Homayoun; Sainsbury, Toby; Zhang, Tao; Mohamud, Hibaaq

2017-10-19

In this work the fracture toughness of epoxy resin has been improved through the addition of low loading of single part and hybrid nanofiller materials. Functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) was used as single filler, increased the critical strain energy release rate, G IC , by 57% compared to the neat epoxy, at only 0.1 wt% filler content. Importantly, no degradation in the tensile or thermal properties of the nanocomposite was observed compared to the neat epoxy. When two-dimensional boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) were added along with the one-dimensional f-MWCNTs, the fracture toughness increased further to 71.6% higher than that of the neat epoxy. Interestingly, when functionalised graphene nanoplatelets (f-GNPs) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) were used as hybrid filler, the fracture toughness of neat epoxy is improved by 91.9%. In neither of these hybrid filler systems the tensile properties were degraded, but the thermal properties of the nanocomposites containing boron nitride materials deteriorated slightly.

Fracture toughness of materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burns, S.J.

Crack tip dislocation emission in bulk specimens have been measured in single crystal specimens and the measurements are well below the accepted theoretical values for dislocation emission. The image forces on a dislocation due to the presence of a semi-infinite crack are used to calculate the potential energy of the dislocation around the crack. Expressions for the radial and tangential forces and for slip and climb forces have been found. Crack tip deformation in Mode I and Mode II fractures on both {l brace}100{r brace} and {l brace}110{r brace} planes have been observed in crystals of LiF. The deformation ismore » shown to nearly completely shield {l brace}110{r brace} plane cracks and prevent their propagation while deformation is less effective in shielding {l brace}100{r brace} plane cracks. The fracture toughness of MgO-partially-stabilized ZrO{sub 2} exhibiting transformation toughening been measured. The equations of linear elastic fracture mechanics have been self-consistantly formulated to include the residual displacement from the transformation wake. MgO single crystals were fatigued in plastic strain control at elevated temperatures. At high temperatures, dense bundles of dislocations were observed in transmission electron microscopy aligned perpendicular to the Burgers' vector directions. The thermodynamics of a superconducting second order phase transformation has been related to jumps in physical properties. A simple energy balance, without assuming an equation of state, is used to relate the rate of change of state variables to measurable physical properties. There are no preconceived assumptions about the superconducting mechanism.« less

Increased fracture toughness of graphite-epoxy composites through intermittent interlaminar bonding. [Mylar interlayer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felbeck, D. K.; Jea, L. C.

1980-01-01

Intermittent interlaminar bonding, which can lead to a large increase in the fracture surface area, was achieved through the introduction of thin perforated Mylar between the layers of a multi-layer continuous-filament graphite-epoxy composite. For the best optimum condition included in this study, fracture toughness was increased from about 100 kJ/sq m for untreated specimens to an average of about 500 kJ/sq m, while tensile strength dropped from 500 MPa to 400 MPa, and elastic modulus remained the same at about 75 GPa. An approximate analysis is presented to explain the observed improvement in toughness.

Fracture toughness of brittle materials determined with chevron notch specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shannon, J. L., Jr.; Bubsey, R. T.; Pierce, W. S.; Munz, D.

1981-01-01

Short bar, short rod, and four-point-bend chevron-notch specimens were used to determine the plane strain fracture toughness of hot-pressed silicon nitride and sintered aluminum oxide brittle ceramics. The unique advantages of this specimen type are: (1) the production of a sharp natural crack during the early stage of test loading, so that no precracking is required, and (2) the load passes through a maximum at a constant, material-independent crack length-to-width ratio for a specific geometry, so that no post-test crack measurement is required. The plane strain fracture toughness is proportional to the maximum test load and functions of the specimen geometry and elastic compliance. Although results obtained for silicon nitride are in good mutual agreement and relatively free of geometry and size effects, aluminum oxide results were affected in both these respects by the rising crack growth resistance curve of the material.

Fracture toughness of Kevlar 29/poly(methyl methacrylate) composite materials for surgical implantations.

PubMed

Pourdeyhimi, B; Robinson, H H; Schwartz, P; Wagner, H D

1986-01-01

A study of the fracture behaviour of Kevlar 29 reinforced dental cement is undertaken using both linear elastic and nonlinear elastic fracture mechanics techniques. Results from both approaches--of which the nonlinear elastic is believed to be more appropriate--indicate that a reinforcing effect is obtained for the fracture toughness even at very low fibre content. The flexural strength and modulus are apparently not improved, however, by the incorporation of Kevlar 29 fibres in the PMMA cement, probably because of the presence of voids, the poor fibre/matrix interfacial bonding and unsatisfying cement mixing practice. When compared to other PMMA composite cements, the present system appears to be probably more effective than carbon/PMMA, for example, in terms of fracture toughness. More experimental and analytical work is needed so as to optimize the mechanical properties with respect to structural parameters and cement preparation technique.

THE EFFECTS OF HYDROGEN, TRITIUM, AND HEAT TREATMENT ON THE DEFORMATION AND FRACTURE TOUGHNESS PROPERTIES OF STAINLESS STEEL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, M.; Tosten, M.; Chapman, G.

2013-09-06

The deformation and fracture toughness properties of forged stainless steels pre-charged with tritium were compared to the deformation and fracture toughness properties of the same steels heat treated at 773 K or 873 K and precharged with hydrogen. Forged stainless steels pre-charged with tritium exhibit an aging effect: Fracture toughness values decrease with aging time after precharging because of the increase in concentration of helium from tritium decay. This study shows that forged stainless steels given a prior heat treatment and then pre-charged with hydrogen also exhibit an aging effect: Fracture toughness values decrease with increasing time at temperature. Amore » microstructural analysis showed that the fracture toughness reduction in the heat-treated steels was due to patches of recrystallized grains that form within the forged matrix during the heat treatment. The combination of hydrogen and the patches of recrystallized grains resulted in more deformation twinning. Heavy deformation twinning on multiple slip planes was typical for the hydrogen-charged samples; whereas, in the non-charged samples, less twinning was observed and was generally limited to one slip plane. Similar effects occur in tritium pre-charged steels, but the deformation twinning is brought on by the hardening associated with decay helium bubbles in the microstructure.« less

Influence of hot pressing on the microstructure and fracture toughness of two pressable dental glass-ceramics.

PubMed

Albakry, Mohammad; Guazzato, Massimiliano; Swain, Michael Vincent

2004-10-15

Empress 1 and Empress 2 are well-known pressable all-ceramic dental materials that have generated substantial interest for many clinicians and patients. These two materials are reputed to benefit from heat pressing during the laboratory fabrication procedures, leading to better crystal distribution within a glass matrix, and hence an improved strength. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of heat pressing on fracture toughness, microstructural features, and porosity. Results showed that Empress 1 had similar fracture toughness values before the pressing procedure, after it, and after the repressing procedure. The microstructural features were also similar among these specimens, but a more uniform distribution of leucite crystals was observed following the pressing and repressing procedures. Empress 2 demonstrated two different fracture toughness values. This was associated with the alignment of lithium disilicate crystals that occurred after the pressing and repressing procedures, which led to different indentation induced crack lengths, depending upon whether cracks propagated parallel to or perpendicular to the aligned crystals, the former having lower toughness than those that propagated in the perpendicular direction. Porosity, in terms of both the size and number of pores, was found to decrease after the pressing and repressing procedures for both materials. Repressing resulted in significant growth of the lithium disilicate crystals in Empress 2, but there was no change for the leucite crystals in Empress 1. The change in the lithium disilicate crystals' size did not have a noticeable effect on the fracture toughness of Empress 2. It was concluded that heat pressing did not significantly affect the fracture toughness of Empress 1, but resulted in two different values for Empress 2. It also decreased the size and number of pores for both materials, which could contribute to the strength improvement found after heat pressing, which has been reported

A Comparative Study of Fracture Toughness at Cryogenic Temperature of Austenitic Stainless Steel Welds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aviles Santillana, I.; Boyer, C.; Fernandez Pison, P.; Foussat, A.; Langeslag, S. A. E.; Perez Fontenla, A. T.; Ruiz Navas, E. M.; Sgobba, S.

2018-03-01

The ITER magnet system is based on the "cable-in-conduit" conductor (CICC) concept, which consists of stainless steel jackets filled with superconducting strands. The jackets provide high strength, limited fatigue crack growth rate and fracture toughness properties to counteract the high stress imposed by, among others, electromagnetic loads at cryogenic temperature. Austenitic nitrogen-strengthened stainless steels have been chosen as base material for the jackets of the central solenoid and the toroidal field system, for which an extensive set of cryogenic mechanical property data are readily available. However, little is published for their welded joints, and their specific performance when considering different combinations of parent and filler metals. Moreover, the impact of post-weld heat treatments that are required for Nb3Sn formation is not extensively treated. Welds are frequently responsible for cracks initiated and propagated by fatigue during service, causing structural failure. It becomes thus essential to select the most suitable combination of parent and filler material and to assess their performance in terms of strength and crack propagation at operation conditions. An extensive test campaign has been conducted at 7 K comparing tungsten inert gas (TIG) welds using two fillers adapted to cryogenic service, EN 1.4453 and JK2LB, applied to two different base metals, AISI 316L and 316LN. A large set of fracture toughness data are presented, and the detrimental effect on fracture toughness of post-weld heat treatments (unavoidable for some of the components) is demonstrated. In this study, austenitic stainless steel TIG welds with various filler metals have undergone a comprehensive fracture mechanics characterization at 7 K. These results are directly exploitable and contribute to the cryogenic fracture mechanics properties database of the ITER magnet system. Additionally, a correlation between the impact in fracture toughness and microstructure

Evaluation of the Edge Crack Torsion (ECT) Test for Mode 3 Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Laminated Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jian; Lee, Edward W.; OBrien, T. Kevin; Lee, Shaw Ming

1996-01-01

An analytical and experimental investigation was carried out on G40-800/R6376 graphite epoxy laminates to evaluate the Edge Crack Torsion (ECT) test as a candidate for a standard Mode 3 interlaminar fracture toughness test for laminated composites. The ECT test consists of a (90/(+/- 45)(sub 3)/(+/- 45)(sub 3)/90))(sub s) laminate with a delamination introduced by a non-adhesive film at the mid-plane along one edge and loaded in a special fixture to create torsion along the length of the laminate. Dye penetrate enhanced X-radiograph of failed specimens revealed that the delamination initiated at the middle of the specimen length and propagated in a self similar manner along the laminate mid-plane. A three-dimensional finite element analysis was performed that indicated that a pure Mode 3 delamination exists at the middle of specimen length away from both ends. At the ends near the loading point a small Mode 2 component exists. However, the magnitude of this Mode 2 strain energy release rate at the loading point is small compared to the magnitude of Mode 3 component in the mid-section of the specimen. Hence, the ECT test yielded the desired Mode 3 delamination. The Mode 3 fracture toughness was obtained from a compliance calibration method and was in good agreement with the finite element results. Mode 2 End-Notched Flexure (ENF) tests and Mode 1 Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests were also performed for the same composite material. The Mode 1 fracture toughness was much smaller than both the Mode 2 and Mode 3 fracture toughness. The Mode 2 fracture toughness was found to be 75% of the Mode 3 fracture toughness.

Determination of dynamic fracture toughness using a new experimental technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cady, Carl M.; Liu, Cheng; Lovato, Manuel L.

2015-09-01

In other studies dynamic fracture toughness has been measured using Charpy impact and modified Hopkinson Bar techniques. In this paper results will be shown for the measurement of fracture toughness using a new test geometry. The crack propagation velocities range from ˜0.15 mm/s to 2.5 m/s. Digital image correlation (DIC) will be the technique used to measure both the strain and the crack growth rates. The boundary of the crack is determined using the correlation coefficient generated during image analysis and with interframe timing the crack growth rate and crack opening can be determined. A comparison of static and dynamic loading experiments will be made for brittle polymeric materials. The analysis technique presented by Sammis et al. [1] is a semi-empirical solution, however, additional Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics analysis of the strain fields generated as part of the DIC analysis allow for the more commonly used method resembling the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) experiment. It should be noted that this technique was developed because limited amounts of material were available and crack growth rates were to fast for a standard CTOD method.

Influence of long-time stress relief treatments on the dynamic fracture toughness properties of ASME SA508 C1 2a and ASME SA533 GR B C12 pressure vessel steels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Logsdon, W.A.

1982-03-01

Dynamic fracture toughness tests were performed on materials which had been subjected to one of three long-time post weld type stress relief heat treatments: 48 hours at 1000/degree/F (538/degree/C), 24 hours at 1125/degree/F (607/degree/C), and 48 hours at 1125/degree/F (607/degree/C). Linear elastic K/sub Id/ results were obtained at low temperatures while J-integral techniques were utilized to evaluate dynamic fracture toughness over the transition and upper shelf temperature ranges. Tensile, Charpy impact, and drop weight nil-ductility transition tests as well as room temperature, air environment fatigue crack growth rate tests (SA508 Cl 2a only) were also performed. The fracture toughness ofmore » both materials exceeded the ASME specified minimum reference toughness K/sub IR/ curve. 17 refs.« less

A single fracture toughness parameter for fibrous composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poe, C. C., Jr.

1981-01-01

A general fracture toughness parameter Qc was previously derived and verified to be a material constant, independent of layup, for centrally cracked boron aluminum composite specimens. The specimens were made with various proportions of 0 and + or - 45 degree plies. A limited amount of data indicated that the ratio Qc/epsilon tuf' where epsilon tuf is the ultimate tensile strain of the fibers, might be a constant for all composite laminates, regardless of material and layup. In that case, a single value of Qc/epsilon tuf could be used to predict the fracture toughness of all fibrous composite laminates from only the elastic constants and epsilon tuf. Values of Qc/epsilon tuf were calculated for centrally cracked specimens made from graphite/polyimide, graphite/epoxy, E glass/epoxy, boron/epoxy, and S glass graphite/epoxy materials with numerous layups. Within ordinary scatter, the data indicate that Qc/epsilon tuf is a constant for all laminates that did not split extensively at the crack tips or have other deviate failure modes.

Effects of Cryogenic Temperature on Fracture Toughness of Core-Shell Rubber (CSR) Toughened Epoxy Nanocomposites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, J.; Cannon, S. A.; Magee, D.; Schneider, J. A.

2008-01-01

This study investigated the effects of core-shell rubber (CSR) nanoparticles on the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of an epoxy resin at ambient and liquid nitrogen (LN2) temperatures. Varying amounts of Kane Ace MX130 toughening agent were added to a commercially available EPON 862/Epikure W epoxy resin. Elastic modulus was calculated using quasi-static tensile data. Fracture toughness was evaluated by the resulting breaking energy measured in Charpy impact tests conducted on an instrumented drop tower. The size and distribution of the CSR nanoparticles were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to study the fracture surface morphology. The addition of the CSR nanoparticles increased the breaking energy with negligible change in elastic modulus and ultimate tensile stress (UTS). At ambient temperature the breaking energy increased with increasing additions of the CSR nanoparticles, while at LN2 temperatures, it reached a maximum at 5 wt% CSR concentration. KEY WORDS: liquid nitrogen (LN2) properties, fracture toughness, core-shell rubber (CSR).

Measurement of fracture toughness by nanoindentation methods: Recent advances and future challenges

DOE PAGES

Sebastiani, Marco; Johanns, K. E.; Herbert, Erik G.; ...

2015-04-30

In this study, we describe recent advances and developments for the measurement of fracture toughness at small scales by the use of nanoindentation-based methods including techniques based on micro-cantilever beam bending and micro-pillar splitting. A critical comparison of the techniques is made by testing a selected group of bulk and thin film materials. For pillar splitting, cohesive zone finite element simulations are used to validate a simple relationship between the critical load at failure, the pillar radius, and the fracture toughness for a range of material properties and coating/substrate combinations. The minimum pillar diameter required for nucleation and growth ofmore » a crack during indentation is also estimated. An analysis of pillar splitting for a film on a dissimilar substrate material shows that the critical load for splitting is relatively insensitive to the substrate compliance for a large range of material properties. Experimental results from a selected group of materials show good agreement between single cantilever and pillar splitting methods, while a discrepancy of ~25% is found between the pillar splitting technique and double-cantilever testing. It is concluded that both the micro-cantilever and pillar splitting techniques are valuable methods for micro-scale assessment of fracture toughness of brittle ceramics, provided the underlying assumptions can be validated. Although the pillar splitting method has some advantages because of the simplicity of sample preparation and testing, it is not applicable to most metals because their higher toughness prevents splitting, and in this case, micro-cantilever bend testing is preferred.« less

10 CFR Appendix G to Part 50 - Fracture Toughness Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... irradiation. F. Beltline or Beltline region of reactor vessel means the region of the reactor vessel (shell.... Additional evidence of the fracture toughness of the beltline materials after exposure to neutron irradiation... effects of annealing and subsequent irradiation. Table 1—Pressure and Temperature Requirements for the...

10 CFR Appendix G to Part 50 - Fracture Toughness Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... irradiation. F. Beltline or Beltline region of reactor vessel means the region of the reactor vessel (shell.... Additional evidence of the fracture toughness of the beltline materials after exposure to neutron irradiation... effects of annealing and subsequent irradiation. Table 1—Pressure and Temperature Requirements for the...

10 CFR Appendix G to Part 50 - Fracture Toughness Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... irradiation. F. Beltline or Beltline region of reactor vessel means the region of the reactor vessel (shell.... Additional evidence of the fracture toughness of the beltline materials after exposure to neutron irradiation... effects of annealing and subsequent irradiation. Table 1—Pressure and Temperature Requirements for the...

10 CFR Appendix G to Part 50 - Fracture Toughness Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... irradiation. F. Beltline or Beltline region of reactor vessel means the region of the reactor vessel (shell.... Additional evidence of the fracture toughness of the beltline materials after exposure to neutron irradiation... effects of annealing and subsequent irradiation. Table 1—Pressure and Temperature Requirements for the...

10 CFR Appendix G to Part 50 - Fracture Toughness Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... irradiation. F. Beltline or Beltline region of reactor vessel means the region of the reactor vessel (shell.... Additional evidence of the fracture toughness of the beltline materials after exposure to neutron irradiation... effects of annealing and subsequent irradiation. Table 1—Pressure and Temperature Requirements for the...

A review of the effect of a/W ratio on fracture toughness (II) —experimental investigation in LEFM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qing-Fen; Fu, Yu-Dong; Xu, Xiao-Xue

2005-06-01

In part I of this series, experimental investigation in EPFM (elastic-plastic fracture mechanics) had been discussed. In this paper, experimental investigation in LEFM (linear elastic fracture mechanics) is given. Fracture toughness tests had been carried out on three different strength steels, using both through-cracked specimens with different a/W ratio and semi-elliptical cracked specimens with variable crack size and shape. Results show that the fracture toughness K IC increases with decreasing a/W when a/W<0.3 for three-point-bend specimens, and that for a/W>0.3, it is independent of a/W. Shallow crack specimens, both through-cracked and surface-cracked, gave markedly higher values than deeply notched specimens. However, the effect of crack shape on fracture toughness is negligible. Results also show that the LEFM approach to fracture is not tenable for design stresses where a c is often very small, far less than 2.5(K IC/σ y )2.

Fractography and the Surface Crack in Flexure (SCF) method for evaluating fracture toughness of ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quinn, G.D.; Gettings, R.J.; Kuebler, J.J.

1996-12-31

The surface crack in flexure (SCF) method, also known as the controlled surface flaw method, has been used to measure fracture toughness of ceramics and glasses for almost 20 years. New fracture toughness results for a range of ceramics and glasses including alumina, boron carbide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, titanium diboride, zirconia, glass ceramic, borosilicate crown glass, and a whisker-reinforced alumina are presented in this paper. Some materials are conducive to precrack measurements, while others are not. New techniques for detecting the precracks are presented. A surprising outcome from a recently concluded Versailles Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) round robinmore » project was that the computed toughness is often not sensitive to the exact precrack size measurement. Consistent results were obtained by many laboratories despite different viewing modes and magnifications. The reasons for this consistency and why toughness is insensitive to precrack size is presented.« less

Experimental investigation of CNT effect on curved beam strength and interlaminar fracture toughness of CFRP laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arca, M. A.; Coker, D.

2014-06-01

High mechanical properties and light weight structures of composite materials and advances in manufacturing processes have increased the use of composite materials in the aerospace and wind energy industries as a primary load carrying structures in complex shapes. However, use of composite materials in complex geometries such as L-shaped laminates creates weakness at the radius which causes delamination. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is preferred as a toughening materials in composite matrices due to their high mechanical properties and aspect ratios. However, effect of CNTs on curved beam strength (CBS) is not investigated in literature comprehensively. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of CNT on Mode I and Mode II fracture toughness and CBS. L-shaped beams are fabric carbon/epoxy composite laminates manufactured by hand layup technique. Curved beam composite laminates were subjected to four point bending loading according to ASTM D6415/D6415M-06a. Double cantilever beam (DCB) tests and end notch flexure (ENF) tests were conducted to determine mode-I and mode-II fracture toughness, respectively. Preliminary results show that 3% CNT addition to the resin increased the mode-I fracture toughness by %25 and mode-II fracture toughness by %10 compared to base laminates. In contrast, no effect on curved beam strength was found.

Interlaminar shear fracture toughness and fatigue thresholds for composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obrien, T. Kevin; Murri, Gretchen B.; Salpekar, Satish A.

1987-01-01

Static and cyclic end notched flexure tests were conducted on a graphite epoxy, a glass epoxy, and graphite thermoplastic to determine their interlaminar shear fracture toughness and fatigue thresholds for delamination in terms of limiting values of the mode II strain energy release rate, G-II, for delamination growth. The influence of precracking and data reduction schemes are discussed. Finite element analysis indicated that the beam theory calculation for G-II with the transverse shear contribution included was reasonably accurate over the entire range of crack lengths. Cyclic loading significantly reduced the critical G-II for delamination. A threshold value of the maximum cyclic G-II below which no delamination occurred after one million cycles was identified for each material. Also, residual static toughness tests were conducted on glass epoxy specimens that had undergone one million cycles without delamination. A linear mixed-mode delamination criteria was used to characterize the static toughness of several composite materials; however, a total G threshold criterion appears to characterize the fatigue delamination durability of composite materials with a wide range of static toughness.

Fracture toughness of copper-base alloys for ITER applications: A preliminary report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alexander, D.J.; Zinkle, S.J.; Rowcliffe, A.F.

1997-04-01

Oxide-dispersion strengthened copper alloys and a precipitation-hardened copper-nickel-beryllium alloy showed a significant reduction in toughness at elevated temperature (250{degrees}C). This decrease in toughness was much larger than would be expected from the relatively modest changes in the tensile properties over the same temperature range. However, a copper-chromium-zirconium alloy strengthened by precipitation showed only a small decrease in toughness at the higher temperatures. The embrittled alloys showed a transition in fracture mode, from transgranular microvoid coalescence at room temperature to intergranular with localized ductility at high temperatures. The Cu-Cr-Zr alloy maintained the ductile microvoid coalescence failure mode at all test temperatures.

Numerical development of a new correlation between biaxial fracture strain and material fracture toughness for small punch test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Pradeep; Dutta, B. K.; Chattopadhyay, J.

2017-04-01

The miniaturized specimens are used to determine mechanical properties of the materials, such as yield stress, ultimate stress, fracture toughness etc. Use of such specimens is essential whenever limited quantity of material is available for testing, such as aged/irradiated materials. The miniaturized small punch test (SPT) is a technique which is widely used to determine change in mechanical properties of the materials. Various empirical correlations are proposed in the literature to determine the value of fracture toughness (JIC) using this technique. bi-axial fracture strain is determined using SPT tests. This parameter is then used to determine JIC using available empirical correlations. The correlations between JIC and biaxial fracture strain quoted in the literature are based on experimental data acquired for large number of materials. There are number of such correlations available in the literature, which are generally not in agreement with each other. In the present work, an attempt has been made to determine the correlation between biaxial fracture strain (εqf) and crack initiation toughness (Ji) numerically. About one hundred materials are digitally generated by varying yield stress, ultimate stress, hardening coefficient and Gurson parameters. Such set of each material is then used to analyze a SPT specimen and a standard TPB specimen. Analysis of SPT specimen generated biaxial fracture strain (εqf) and analysis of TPB specimen generated value of Ji. A graph is then plotted between these two parameters for all the digitally generated materials. The best fit straight line determines the correlation. It has been also observed that it is possible to have variation in Ji for the same value of biaxial fracture strain (εqf) within a limit. Such variation in the value of Ji has been also ascertained using the graph. Experimental SPT data acquired earlier for three materials were then used to get Ji by using newly developed correlation. A reasonable

Effect of Temperature on the Fracture Toughness of Hot Isostatically Pressed 304L Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, A. J.; Brayshaw, W. J.; Sherry, A. H.

2018-03-01

Herein, we have performed J- Resistance multi-specimen fracture toughness testing of hot isostatically pressed (HIP'd) and forged 304L austenitic stainless steel, tested at elevated (300 °C) and cryogenic (- 140 °C) temperatures. The work highlights that although both materials fail in a pure ductile fashion, stainless steel manufactured by HIP displays a marked reduction in fracture toughness, defined using J 0.2BL, when compared to equivalently graded forged 304L, which is relatively constant across the tested temperature range.

Transition Fracture Toughness Characterization of Eurofer 97 Steel using Pre-Cracked Miniature Multi-notch Bend Bar Specimens

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Xiang; Sokolov, Mikhail A.; Linton, Kory D.

In this report, we present the feasibility study of using pre-cracked miniature multi-notch bend bar specimens (M4CVN) with a dimension of 45mm (length) x 3.3mm (width) x 1.65mm (thickness) to characterize the transition fracture toughness of Eurofer97 based on the ASTM E1921 Master Curve method. From literature survey results, we did not find any obvious specimen size effects on the measured fracture toughness of unirradiated Eurofer97. Nonetheless, in order to exclude the specimen size effect on the measured fracture toughness of neutron irradiated Eurofer97, comparison of results obtained from larger size specimens with those from smaller size specimens after neutronmore » irradiation is necessary, which is not practical and can be formidably expensive. However, limited literature results indicate that the transition fracture toughness of Eurofer97 obtained from different specimen sizes and geometries followed the similar irradiation embrittlement trend. We then described the newly designed experimental setup to be used for testing neutron irradiated Eurofer97 pre-cracked M4CVN bend bars in the hot cell. We recently used the same setup for testing neutron irradiated F82H pre-cracked miniature multi-notch bend bars with great success. Considering the similarity in materials, specimen types, and the nature of tests between Eurofer97 and F82H, we believe the newly designed experimental setup can be used successfully in fracture toughness testing of Eurofer97 pre-cracked M4CVN specimens.« less

Fracture toughness of esthetic dental coating systems by nanoindentation and FIB sectional analysis.

PubMed

Pecnik, Christina Martina; Courty, Diana; Muff, Daniel; Spolenak, Ralph

2015-07-01

Improving the esthetics of Ti-based dental implants is the last challenge remaining in the optimization process. The optical issues were recently solved by the application of highly and selectively reflective coatings on Ti implants. This work focuses on the mechanical durability of these esthetic ceramic based coating systems (with and without adhesion layers). The coating systems (Ti-ZrO2, Ti-Al-ZrO2, Ti-Ti-Al-ZrO2, Ti-Ag-ZrO2, Ti-Ti-Ag-ZrO2, Ti-Bragg and Ti-TiO2-Bragg) were subjected to nanoindentation experiments and examined using scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam cross sectional analysis. Three coating systems contained adhesion layers (10nm of Ti or 60nm of TiO2 layers). The fracture toughness of selected samples was assessed applying two different models from literature, a classical for bulk materials and an energy-based model, which was further developed and adjusted. The ZrO2 based coating systems (total film thickness<200nm) followed a circumferential cracking behavior in contrast to Bragg coated samples (total film thickness around 1.5μm), which showed radial cracking emanating from the indent corners. For Ti-ZrO2 samples, a fracture toughness between 2.70 and 3.70MPam(1/2) was calculated using an energy-based model. The classical model was applied to Bragg coated samples and their fracture toughness ranged between 0.70 and 0.80MPam(1/2). Furthermore, coating systems containing an additional layer (Ti-Ti-Al-ZrO2, Ti-Ti-Ag-ZrO2 and Ti-TiO2-Bragg) showed an improved adhesion between the substrate and the coating. The addition of a Ti or TiO2 layer improved the adhesion between substrate and coating. The validity of the models for the assessment of the fracture toughness depended on the layer structure and fracture profile of the samples investigated here (classical model for thick coatings and energy-based model for thin coatings). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fracture toughness improvements of dental ceramic through use of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin-film coatings.

PubMed

Chan, Ryan N; Stoner, Brian R; Thompson, Jeffrey Y; Scattergood, Ronald O; Piascik, Jeffrey R

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate strengthening mechanisms of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin film coatings as a viable method for improving fracture toughness of all-ceramic dental restorations. Bars (2mm×2mm×15mm, n=12) were cut from porcelain (ProCAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent) blocks and wet-polished through 1200-grit using SiC abrasive. A Vickers indenter was used to induce flaws with controlled size and geometry. Depositions were performed via radio frequency magnetron sputtering (5mT, 25°C, 30:1 Ar/O2 gas ratio) with varying powers of substrate bias. Film and flaw properties were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Flexural strength was determined by three-point bending. Fracture toughness values were calculated from flaw size and fracture strength. Data show improvements in fracture strength of up to 57% over unmodified specimens. XRD analysis shows that films deposited with higher substrate bias displayed a high %monoclinic volume fraction (19%) compared to non-biased deposited films (87%), and resulted in increased film stresses and modified YSZ microstructures. SEM analysis shows critical flaw sizes of 67±1μm leading to fracture toughness improvements of 55% over unmodified specimens. Data support surface modification of dental ceramics with YSZ thin film coatings to improve fracture toughness. Increase in construct strength was attributed to increase in compressive film stresses and modified YSZ thin film microstructures. It is believed that this surface modification may lead to significant improvements and overall reliability of all-ceramic dental restorations. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fracture toughness of irradiated modified 9Cr-1Mo steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sung Ho; Yoon, Ji-Hyun; Ryu, Woo Seog; Lee, Chan Bock; Hong, Jun Hwa

2009-04-01

The effects of irradiation on fracture toughness of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel in the transition region were investigated. Half size precracked Charpy specimens were irradiated up to 1.2 × 10 21n/cm 2 ( E > 0.1 MeV) at 340 °C and 400 °C in the Korean research reactor. The irradiation induced transition temperature shift for a modified 9Cr-1Mo was evaluated by using the Master Curve methodology. The T0 temperature for the unirradiated specimens were measured as -67.7 °C and -72.4 °C from the tests with standard PCVN (precracked charpy V-notch) and half sized PCVN specimens, respectively. The T0 shifts of specimens after irradiation at 340 °C and 400 °C were 70.7 °C and 66.1 °C, respectively. The Weibull slopes for the fracture toughness data obtained from the unirradiated and irradiated modified 9Cr-1Mo steels were determined to confirm the applicability of master curve methodology to modified 9Cr-1Mo steel.

Strength, Fracture Toughness, and Slow Crack Growth of Zirconia/alumina Composites at Elevated Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Bansal, Narottam P.

2003-01-01

Various electrolyte materials for solid oxide fuel cells were fabricated by hot pressing 10 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (10-YSZ) reinforced with two different forms of alumina particulates and platelets each containing 0 to 30 mol% alumina. Flexure strength and fracture toughness of platelet composites were determined as a function of alumina content at 1000 C in air and compared with those of particulate composites determined previously. In general, elevated-temperature strength and fracture toughness of both composite systems increased with increasing alumina content. For a given alumina content, flexure strength of particulate composites was greater than that of platelet composites at higher alumina contents (greater than or equal to 20 mol%), whereas, fracture toughness was greater in platelet composites than in particulate composites, regardless of alumina content. The results of slow crack growth (SCG) testing, determined at 1000 C via dynamic fatigue testing for three different composites including 0 mol% (10-YSZ matrix), 30 mol % particulate and 30 mol% platelet composites, showed that susceptibility to SCG was greatest with SCG parameter n = 6 to 8 for both 0 and 30 mol% particulate composites and was least with n = 33 for the 30 mol% platelet composite.

Fracture toughness of boron/aluminum laminates with various proportions of 0 deg and plus or minus 45 deg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poe, C. C., Jr.; Sova, J. A.

1980-01-01

The fracture toughness of boron/aluminum laminates was measured on sheet specimens containing central slits of various lengths that represent cracks. The specimens were loaded axially and had various widths. The sheets were made with five laminate orientation. Fracture toughness was calculated for each laminate orientation. Specimens began failing at the ends of the slit with what appeared to be tensile failures of fibers in the primary load carrying laminae. A general fracture toughness parameter independent of laminate orientation was derived on the basis of fiber failure in the principal load carrying laminae. The value of this parameter was proportional to the critical value of the stress intensity factor. The constant of proportionality depended only on the elastic constants of the laminates.

Improving the fracture toughness and the strength of epoxy using nanomaterials--a review of the current status.

PubMed

Domun, N; Hadavinia, H; Zhang, T; Sainsbury, T; Liaghat, G H; Vahid, S

2015-06-21

The incorporation of nanomaterials in the polymer matrix is considered to be a highly effective technique to improve the mechanical properties of resins. In this paper the effects of the addition of different nanoparticles such as single-walled CNT (SWCNT), double-walled CNT (DWCNT), multi-walled CNT (MWCNT), graphene, nanoclay and nanosilica on fracture toughness, strength and stiffness of the epoxy matrix have been reviewed. The Young's modulus (E), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), mode I (GIC) and mode II (GIIC) fracture toughness of the various nanocomposites at different nanoparticle loadings are compared. The review shows that, depending on the type of nanoparticles, the integration of the nanoparticles has a substantial effect on mode I and mode II fracture toughness, strength and stiffness. The critical factors such as maintaining a homogeneous dispersion and good adhesion between the matrix and the nanoparticles are highlighted. The effect of surface functionalization, its relevancy and toughening mechanism are also scrutinized and discussed. A large variety of data comprised of the mechanical properties of nanomaterial toughened composites reported to date has thus been compiled to facilitate the evolution of this emerging field, and the results are presented in maps showing the effect of nanoparticle loading on mode I fracture toughness, stiffness and strength.

Fracture toughness determination using spiral-grooved cylindrical specimen and pure torsional loading

DOEpatents

Wang, Jy-An; Liu, Kenneth C.

2003-07-08

A method for determining fracture toughness K.sub.IC of materials ranging from metallic alloys, brittle ceramics and their composites, and weldments. A cylindrical specimen having a helical V-groove with a 45.degree. pitch is subjected to pure torsion. This loading configuration creates a uniform tensile-stress crack-opening mode, and a transverse plane-strain state along the helical groove. The full length of the spiral groove is equivalent to the thickness of a conventional compact-type specimen. K.sub.IC values are determined from the fracture torque and crack length measured from the test specimen using a 3-D finite element program (TOR3D-KIC) developed for the purpose. In addition, a mixed mode (combined tensile and shear stress mode) fracture toughness value can be determined by varying the pitch of the helical groove. Since the key information needed for determining the K.sub.IC value is condensed in the vicinity of the crack tip, the specimen can be significantly miniaturized without the loss of generality.

Fracture toughness for copper oxide superconductors

DOEpatents

Goretta, K.C.; Kullberg, M.L.

1993-04-13

An oxide-based strengthening and toughening agent, such as tetragonal ZrO[sub 2] particles, has been added to copper oxide superconductors, such as superconducting YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub x] (123) to improve its fracture toughness (K[sub IC]). A sol-gel coating which is non-reactive with the superconductor, such as Y[sub 2]BaCuO[sub 5] (211) on the ZrO[sub 2] particles minimized the deleterious reactions between the superconductor and the toughening agent dispersed therethrough. Addition of 20 mole percent ZrO[sub 2] coated with 211 yielded a 123 composite with a K[sub IC] of 4.5 MPa(m)[sup 0.5].

Fracture toughness for copper oxide superconductors

DOEpatents

Goretta, Kenneth C.; Kullberg, Marc L.

1993-01-01

An oxide-based strengthening and toughening agent, such as tetragonal Zro.sub.2 particles, has been added to copper oxide superconductors, such as superconducting YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x (123) to improve its fracture toughness (K.sub.IC). A sol-gel coating which is non-reactive with the superconductor, such as Y.sub.2 BaCuO.sub.5 (211) on the ZrO.sub.2 particles minimized the deleterious reactions between the superconductor and the toughening agent dispersed therethrough. Addition of 20 mole percent ZrO.sub.2 coated with 211 yielded a 123 composite with a K.sub.IC of 4.5 MPa(m).sup.0.5.

The relative contributions of non-enzymatic glycation and cortical porosity on the fracture toughness of aging bone

PubMed Central

Tang, S.Y.; Vashishth, D.

2010-01-01

The risk of fracture increases with age due to the decline of bone mass and bone quality. One of the age-related changes in bone quality occurs through the formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) due to non-enzymatic glycation (NEG). However as a number of other changes including increased porosity occur with age and affect bone fragility, the relative contribution of AGEs on the fracture resistance of aging bone is unknown. Using a high-resolution nonlinear finite element model that incorporate cohesive elements and micro-computed tomography-based 3d meshes, we investigated the contribution of AGEs and cortical porosity on the fracture toughness of human bone. The results show that NEG caused a 52% reduction in propagation fracture toughness (R-curve slope). The combined effects of porosity and AGEs resulted in an 88% reduction in propagation toughness. These findings are consistent with previous experimental results. The model captured the age-related changes in the R-curve toughening by incorporating bone quantity and bone quality changes, and these simulations demonstrate the ability of the cohesive models to account for the irreversible dynamic crack growth processes affected by the changes in post-yield material behavior. By decoupling the matrix-level effects due to NEG and intracortical porosity, we are able to directly determine the effects of NEG on fracture toughness. The outcome of this study suggests that it may be important to include the age-related changes in the material level properties by using finite element analysis towards the prediction of fracture risk. PMID:21056419

Effect of alloying elements and heat treatment on the fracture toughness of Ti-Al-Nb alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamat, S.V.; Gogia, A.K.; Banerjee, D.

The fracture toughness and toughening mechanisms of Ti{sub 3}Al based alloy compositions covering a large range of Nb, small variations in Al and quaternary substitutions of Nb have been studied in a variety of heat treated conditions designed to vary the volume fractions of the constituents phases. It was found that the B2 phase of these alloys failed by cleavage in a coarse grained condition but in a ductile manner when fine grained. A higher Nb and a lower Al content improved the cleavage fracture stress of the B2 phase while replacement of a part of Nb and a lowermore » Al content improved the cleavage fracture stress of the B2 phase while replacement of a part of Nb with Mo or Ta had no significant effect. Heat treatments which result in a two phase microstructure ({alpha}{sub 2} + {beta}/B2) exhibited a trend of increasing fracture toughness with increasing volume fraction of {beta}/B2 up to about 60--80 volume fraction of {beta}/B2. This behavior was largely explained by quantifying the role of crack tip blunting. The effect of alloying elements on fracture toughness in two phase microstructures was similar to that observed in the coarse grained B2 condition.« less

A comparative assessment of the fracture toughness behavior of ferritic-martensitic steels and nanostructured ferritic alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byun, Thak Sang; Hoelzer, David T.; Kim, Jeoung Han; Maloy, Stuart A.

2017-02-01

The Fe-Cr alloys with ultrafine microstructures are primary candidate materials for advanced nuclear reactor components because of their excellent high temperature strength and high resistance to radiation-induced damage such as embrittlement and swelling. Mainly two types of Fe-Cr alloys have been developed for the high temperature reactor applications: the quenched and tempered ferritic-martensitic (FM) steels hardened primarily by ultrafine laths and carbonitrides and the powder metallurgy-based nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) by nanograin structure and nanoclusters. This study aims at elucidating the differences and similarities in the temperature and strength dependences of fracture toughness in the Fe-Cr alloys to provide a comparative assessment of their high-temperature structural performance. The KJQ versus yield stress plots confirmed that the fracture toughness was inversely proportional to yield strength. It was found, however, that the toughness data for some NFAs were outside the band of the integrated dataset at given strength level, which indicates either a significant improvement or deterioration in mechanical properties due to fundamental changes in deformation and fracture mechanisms. When compared to the behavior of NFAs, the FM steels have shown much less strength dependence and formed narrow fracture toughness data bands at a significantly lower strength region. It appeared that at high temperatures ≥600 °C the NFAs cannot retain the nanostructure advantage of high strength and high toughness either by high-temperature embrittlement or by excessive loss of strength. Irradiation studies have revealed, however, that the NFAs have much stronger radiation resistance than tempered martensitic steels, such as lower radiation-induced swelling, finer helium bubble formation, lower irradiation creep rate and reduced low temperature embrittlement.

Tritium and decay helium effects on the fracture toughness properties of types 316L, 304L and 21Cr-6Ni-9Mn stainless steels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, M.J.; Tosten, M.H

1994-10-01

J-integral fracture mechanics techniques and electron microscopy observations were used to investigate the effects of tritium and its radioactive decay product, {sup 3}He, on Types 316L, 304L and 21Cr-6Ni-9Mn stainless steels. Tritium-exposed-and-aged steels had lower fracture-toughness values and shallower sloped crack-growth-resistance curves than unexposed steels. Both fracture-toughness parameters decreased with increasing concentrations of {sup 3}He. The fracture-toughness reductions were accompanied by a change in fracture mode from microvoid-nucleation-and-growth processes in control samples to grain-and-twin-boundary fracture in tritium-charged-and-aged samples. Type 316L stainless steel had the highest fracture-toughness values and Type 21Cr-6Ni-9Mn had the lowest. Samples containing {sup 3}He but degassed ofmore » tritium had fracture toughness properties that were similar to uncharged samples. The results indicate that helium bubbles enhance the embrittlement effects of hydrogen by affecting the deformation properties and by increasing localized hydrogen concentrations through trapping effects.« less

Performance of Chevron-notch short bar specimen in determining the fracture toughness of silicon nitride and aluminum oxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munz, D.; Bubsey, R. T.; Shannon, J. L., Jr.

1980-01-01

Ease of preparation and testing are advantages unique to the chevron-notch specimen used for the determination of the plane strain fracture toughness of extremely brittle materials. During testing, a crack develops at the notch tip and extends stably as the load is increased. For a given specimen and notch configuration, maximum load always occurs at the same relative crack length independent of the material. Fracture toughness is determined from the maximum load with no need for crack length measurement. Chevron notch acuity is relatively unimportant since a crack is produced during specimen loading. In this paper, the authors use their previously determined stress intensity factor relationship for the chevron-notch short bar specimen to examine the performance of that specimen in determining the plane strain fracture toughness of silicon nitride and aluminum oxide.

Fracture toughness of CIP-HIP (cold isostatic pressed - hot isostatic pressed) beryllium at elevated temperatures. Final report, 13 May 1980-13 February 1981

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barker, L.M.; Jones, A.H.

1986-04-01

The fracture toughness of CIP-HIP (cold isostatic pressed-hot isostatic pressed) beryllium was determined using the short-bar fracture-toughness (K/sub IcSB/) method. The K/sub IcSB/ value measured was 10.96 MPa x the square root of m at room temperature. This falls well within the expected range of 9 to 12 MPa x the square root of m as observed from previous fracture toughness measurements of beryllium. Toughness increased rapidly between 400 F and 500 F reaching a value of 16.7 MPa x the square root of m at 500 F.

Fracture Toughness and Strength in a New Class of Bainitic Chromium-Tungsten Steels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mao, S. X.; Sikka, V. K.

This project dealt with developing an understanding of the toughening and stengthening mechanisms for a new class of Fe-3Cr-W(V) steels developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in collaboration with Nooter Corporation and other industrial partners. The new steele had 50% higher tensile strength up to 650 degrees Celsius than currently used steels and the potential for not requiring any postweld heat treatment (PWHT) and for reducing equipment weight by 25%. This project was closely related to the Nooter project described in the report Development of a New Class of Fe-3Cr-W(V) Ferritic steels for Industrial Process Applications (ORNL/TM-2005/82). The projectmore » was carried out jointly by the University of Pittsburgh and ORNL. The University of Pittsburgh carried out fracture toughness measurements and microstructural analysis on base metal and welded plates prepared at ORNL. The project focused on three areas. The first dealt with detailed microstructural analysis of base compositions of 3Cr-3WV and 3Cr-3WBV(Ta) in both normalized (N) and normalized and tempered (NT) conditions. The second aspect of the prject dealt with determining tensile properties and fracture toughness values of K{subIC} at room temperature for both 3Cr-3Wv and 3Cr-3WV(Ta) compositions. The third focus of the project was to measure the fracture toughness values of the base metal and the heat-affectged zone (HAZ) of a plate of Fe-3Cr-W(Mo)V steel plate welded by the gas tungsten are (GTA) process. The HAZ toughness was measured in both the as-welded and the PWHT condition.« less

Improvement of the fracture toughness of hydroxyapatite (HAp) by incorporation of carboxyl functionalized single walled carbon nanotubes (CfSWCNTs) and nylon

DOE PAGES

Khanal, Suraj P.; Mahfuz, Hassan; Rondinone, Adam Justin; ...

2015-11-12

The potential of improving the fracture toughness of synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAp) by incorporating carboxyl functionalized single walled carbon nanotubes (CfSWCNTs) and polymerized ε-caprolactam (nylon) was researched. A series of HAp samples with CfSWCNTs concentrations varying from 0 to 1.5 wt.%, without, and with nylon addition was prepared. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the samples. The three point bending test was applied to measure the fracture toughness of the composites. A reproducible value of 3.6 ± 0.3 MPa.√m was found for samples containing 1 wt.% CfSWCNTs and nylon. This valuemore » is in the range of the cortical bone fracture toughness. Lastly, the increase of the CfSWCNTs content results to decrease of the fracture toughness, and formation of secondary phases.« less

Evaluation of the Fracture Toughness of a SMSS Subjected to Common Heat Treatment Cycles in an Aggressive Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pieta, G.; Leite, R.; Kwietniewski, C.; Clarke, T.; Strohaecker, T.

2010-12-01

Supermartensitic stainless steels (SMSS) are an alternative to corrosion-prone carbon steels and expensive duplex stainless steels in offshore tubing applications for the oil and gas industry. Due to their differentiated alloying, SMSS exhibit superior toughness, corrosion resistance, and weldability properties when compared with another viable option, conventional martensitic stainless steels. However, when cathodically protected in a seawater environment they can be susceptible to embrittlement due to hydrogen charging. In the present study, SMSS samples were removed from deep water pipelines and their fracture toughness in the as-received condition and with different heat treatments was evaluated. Tests were carried out in air and in harsh environmental and loading conditions, which were ensured by subjecting specimens to cathodic overprotection, simulating effects seen in structures with complex geometries, and to incremental step loads in a synthetic seawater environment, thus favoring hydrogen diffusion to the precrack tip. The fracture surfaces of the specimens were analyzed in order to identify hydrogen-induced embrittlement and fracture toughness values of specimens tested in air were compared to values obtained in environment-assisted experiments. The influence of microstructure was evaluated by control of the retained austenite and δ-ferrite contents of the specimens. The results show a significant drop in the fracture toughness of steel in the studied environment, with a fracture mode which is clearly more brittle and dependent on microstructural characteristics of the samples.

A portable fracture toughness tester for biological materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darvell, B. W.; Lee, P. K. D.; Yuen, T. D. B.; Lucas, P. W.

1996-06-01

A portable mechanical tester is described which is both lightweight and cheap to produce. The machine is simple and convenient to operate and requires only a minimum of personnel training. It can be used to measure the fundamental mechanical properties of pliant solids, particularly toughness (in the sense of `work of fracture') using either scissors or wedge tests. This is achieved through a novel hardware integration technique. The circuits are described. The use of the machine does not require a chart recorder but it can be linked to a personal computer, either to show force - displacement relationships or for data storage. The design allows the use of any relatively `soft' mechanical test, i.e. tests in which the deformability of the frame of the machine and its load cell do not introduce significant errors into the results. Examples of its use in measuring the toughness of biomaterials by scissors (paper, wood) and wedges (mung bean starch gels) are given.

Initiation and propagation of a PKN hydraulic fracture in permeable rock: Toughness dominated regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarvaramini, E.; Garagash, D.

2011-12-01

The present work investigates the injection of a low-viscosity fluid into a pre-existing fracture with constrained height (PKN), as in waterflooding or supercritical CO2 injection. Contrary to conventional hydraulic fracturing, where 'cake build up' limits diffusion to a small zone, the low viscosity fluid allows for diffusion over a wider range of scales. Over large injection times the pattern becomes 2 or 3-D, necessitating a full-space diffusion modeling. In addition, the dissipation of energy associated with fracturing of rock dominates the energy needed for the low-viscosity fluid flow into the propagating crack. As a result, the fracture toughness is important in evaluating both the initiation and the ensuing propagation of these fractures. Classical PKN hydraulic fracturing model, amended to account for full-space leak-off and the toughness [Garagash, unpublished 2009], is used to evaluate the pressure history and fluid leak-off volume during the injection of low viscosity fluid into a pre-existing and initially stationary. In order to find the pressure history, the stationary crack is first subject to a step pressure increase. The response of the porous medium to the step pressure increase in terms of fluid leak-off volume provides the fundamental solution, which then can be used to find the transient pressurization using Duhamel theorem [Detournay & Cheng, IJSS 1991]. For the step pressure increase an integral equation technique is used to find the leak-off rate history. For small time the solution must converge to short time asymptote, which corresponds to 1-D diffusion pattern. However, as the diffusion length in the zone around the fracture increases the assumption of a 1-D pattern is no longer valid and the diffusion follows a 2-D pattern. The solution to the corresponding integral equation gives the leak-off rate history, which is used to find the cumulative leak-off volume. The transient pressurization solution is obtained using global conservation

The Effect of Curing Temperature on the Fracture Toughness of Fiberglass Epoxy Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Thomas J.

The curing reaction in a thermoset polymer matrix composite is often accelerated by the addition of heat in an oven or autoclave. The heat added increases the rate of the polymerization reaction and cross-linking in the material. The cure cycle used (temperature, pressure and time) can therefore alter the final material properties. This research focuses on how the curing temperature (250, 275, 300 °F) affects the yield strength and the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness, GI, of a unidirectional S-2 glass epoxy composite. The test method that was used for the tension test was ASTM D3039 and the test method for the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness, the double cantilever beam (DCB) test, was ASTM D5528. The DCB specimens were fabricated with a non-adhesive insert at the midplane of the composite that serves as the initiatior of the delamination. Opening forces were then applied to the specimen, causing the crack propagation. The results show that increasing the cure temperature by 50 °F increased the tensile strength by 10% (86.54 - 94.73 ksi) and decreased the fracture toughness 20% (506.23 - 381.31 J/m 2). Thus, the curing temperature can cause a trade-off between these two properties, which means that the curing cycle will need to be altered based on the intended use and the required material properties.

Fracture toughness in Mode I (GIC) for ductile adhesives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gálvez, P.; Carbas, RJC; Campilho, RDSG; Abenojar, J.; Martínez, MA; Silva LFM, da

2017-05-01

Works carried out in this publication belong to a project that seeks the replacement of welded joints by adhesive joints at stress concentration nodes in bus structures. Fracture toughness in Mode I (GIC) has been measured for two different ductile adhesives, SikaTack Drive and SikaForce 7720. SikaTack Drive is a single-component polyurethane adhesive with high viscoelasticity (more than 100%), whose main use is the car-glass joining and SikaForce 7720 is double-component structural polyurethane adhesive. Experimental works have been carried out from the test called Double Cantilever Beam (DCB), using two steel beams as adherents and an adhesive thickness according to the problem posed in the Project, of 2 and 3 mm for SikaForce 7720 and SikaTack Drive, respectively. Three different methods have been used for measuring the fracture toughness in mode I (GIC) from the values obtained in the experimental DCB procedure for each adhesive: Corrected Beam Theory (CBT), Compliance Calibration Method (CCM) and Compliance Based Beam Method (CBBM). Four DCB specimens have been tested for each adhesive. Dispersion of each GIC calculation method for each adhesive has been studied. Likewise variations between the three different methods have been also studied for each adhesive.

Dynamic Fracture Initiation Toughness at Elevated Temperatures With Application to the New Generation of Titanium Aluminide Alloys. Chapter 8

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shazly, Mostafa; Prakash, Vikas; Draper, Susan; Shukla, Arun (Editor)

2006-01-01

Recently, a new generation of titanium aluminide alloy, named Gamma-Met PX, has been developed with better rolling and post-rolling characteristics. I'revious work on this alloy has shown the material to have higher strengths at room and elevated temperatures when compared with other gamma titanium aluminides. In particular, this new alloy has shown increased ductility at elevated temperatures under both quasi-static and high strain rate uniaxial compressive loading. However, its high strain rate tensile ductility at room and elevated temperatures is limited to approx. 1%. In the present chapter, results of a study to investigate the effects of loading rate and test temperature on the dynamic fracture initiation toughness in Gamma-Met PX are presented. Modified split Hopkinson pressure bar was used along with high-speed photography to determine the crack initiation time. Three-point bend dynamic fracture experiments were conducted at impact speeds of approx. 1 m/s and tests temperatures of up-to 1200 C. The results show that thc dynamic fracture initiation toughness decreases with increasing test temperatures beyond 600 C. Furthermore, thc effect of long time high temperature air exposure on the fracture toughness was investigated. The dynamic fracture initiation toughness was found to decrease with increasing exposure time. The reasons behind this drop are analyzed and discussed.

Cohesive zone modelling of wafer bonding and fracture: effect of patterning and toughness variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubair, D. V.; Spearing, S. M.

2006-03-01

Direct wafer bonding has increasingly become popular in the manufacture of microelectromechanical systems and semiconductor microelectronics components. The success of the bonding process is controlled by variables such as wafer flatness and surface preparation. In order to understand the effects of these variables, spontaneous planar crack propagation simulations were performed using the spectral scheme in conjunction with a cohesive zone model. The fracture-toughness on the bond interface is varied to simulate the effect of surface roughness (nanotopography) and patterning. Our analysis indicated that the energetics of crack propagation is sensitive to the local surface property variations. The patterned wafers are tougher (well bonded) than the unpatterned ones of the same average fracture-toughness.

Microneedle-based minimally-invasive measurement of puncture resistance and fracture toughness of sclera.

PubMed

Park, Seung Hyun; Lee, Kang Ju; Lee, JiYong; Yoon, Jae Hyoung; Jo, Dong Hyun; Kim, Jeong Hun; Kang, Keonwook; Ryu, WonHyoung

2016-10-15

The sclera provides the structural support of the eye and protects the intraocular contents. Since it covers a large portion of the eye surface and has relatively high permeability for most drugs, the sclera has been used as a major pathway for drug administration. Recently, microneedle (MN) technology has shown the possibility of highly local and minimally-invasive drug delivery to the eye by MN insertion through the sclera or the suprachoroidal space. Although ocular MN needs to be inserted through the sclera, there has been no systematic study to understand the mechanical properties of the sclera, which are important to design ocular MNs. In this study, we investigated a MN-based method to measure the puncture resistance and fracture toughness of the sclera. To reflect the conditions of MN insertion into the sclera, force-displacement curves obtained from MN-insertion tests were used to estimate the puncture resistance and fracture toughness of sclera tissue. To understand the effect of the insertion conditions, dependency of the mechanical properties on insertion speeds, pre-strain of the sclera, and MN sizes were analyzed and discussed. Measurement of mechanical property of soft biological tissue is challenging due to variations between tissue samples or lack of well-defined measurement techniques. Although non-invasive measurement techniques such as nano/micro indentation were employed to locally measure the elastic modulus of soft biological materials, mechanical properties such as puncture resistance or fracture toughness, which requires "invasive" measurement and is important for the application of "microneedles or hypodermic needles", has not been well studied. In this work, we report minimally-invasive measurement of puncture resistance and fracture toughness of sclera using a double MN insertion method. Parametric studies showed that use of MN proved to be advantageous because of minimally-invasive insertion into tissue as well as higher sensitivity to

Two-dimensional magnesium oxide nanosheets reinforced epoxy nanocomposites for enhanced fracture toughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balguri, Praveen Kumar; Harris Samuel, D. G.; Guruvishnu, T.; Aditya, D. B.; Mahadevan, S. M.; Thumu, Udayabhaskararao

2018-01-01

Metal oxide nanoparticles have been used as excellent reinforcements to enhance mechanical properties of polymers, natural composites, and ceramics. To date, a major portion of metal oxides used as nanofillers is three dimensional spherical nanoparticles. In the last decade, two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene have been widely investigated to improve the mechanical and electrical properties of polymer materials. In this paper, 2D Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanosheets reinforced epoxy composites (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 wt%) are fabricated and studied for their ability to resist the propagation of preexisting flaw by conducting fracture toughness test for K IC, critical stress intensity factor. This property is an important mechanical property for designing applications in various engineering technologies. Our results show that the MgO with 0.2 wt% is the optimized level to improve the fracture toughness of the epoxy polymer by 47%.

A comparative assessment of the fracture toughness behavior of ferritic-martensitic steels and nanostructured ferritic alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Byun, Thak Sang; Hoelzer, David T.; Kim, Jeoung Han

The Fe-Cr alloys with ultrafine microstructures are primary candidate materials for advanced nuclear reactor components because of their excellent high temperature strength and high resistance to radiation-induced damage such as embrittlement and swelling. Mainly two types of Fe-Cr alloys have been developed for the high temperature reactor applications: the quenched and tempered ferritic-martensitic (FM) steels hardened primarily by ultrafine laths and carbonitrides and the powder metallurgy-based nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) by nanograin structure and nanoclusters. This paper aims at elucidating the differences and similarities in the temperature and strength dependences of fracture toughness in the Fe-Cr alloys to provide amore » comparative assessment of their high-temperature structural performance. The K JQ versus yield stress plots confirmed that the fracture toughness was inversely proportional to yield strength. It was found, however, that the toughness data for some NFAs were outside the band of the integrated dataset at given strength level, which indicates either a significant improvement or deterioration in mechanical properties due to fundamental changes in deformation and fracture mechanisms. When compared to the behavior of NFAs, the FM steels have shown much less strength dependence and formed narrow fracture toughness data bands at a significantly lower strength region. It appeared that at high temperatures ≥600 °C the NFAs cannot retain the nanostructure advantage of high strength and high toughness either by high-temperature embrittlement or by excessive loss of strength. Finally, irradiation studies have revealed, however, that the NFAs have much stronger radiation resistance than tempered martensitic steels, such as lower radiation-induced swelling, finer helium bubble formation, lower irradiation creep rate and reduced low temperature embrittlement.« less

A comparative assessment of the fracture toughness behavior of ferritic-martensitic steels and nanostructured ferritic alloys

DOE PAGES

Byun, Thak Sang; Hoelzer, David T.; Kim, Jeoung Han; ...

2016-12-07

The Fe-Cr alloys with ultrafine microstructures are primary candidate materials for advanced nuclear reactor components because of their excellent high temperature strength and high resistance to radiation-induced damage such as embrittlement and swelling. Mainly two types of Fe-Cr alloys have been developed for the high temperature reactor applications: the quenched and tempered ferritic-martensitic (FM) steels hardened primarily by ultrafine laths and carbonitrides and the powder metallurgy-based nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) by nanograin structure and nanoclusters. This paper aims at elucidating the differences and similarities in the temperature and strength dependences of fracture toughness in the Fe-Cr alloys to provide amore » comparative assessment of their high-temperature structural performance. The K JQ versus yield stress plots confirmed that the fracture toughness was inversely proportional to yield strength. It was found, however, that the toughness data for some NFAs were outside the band of the integrated dataset at given strength level, which indicates either a significant improvement or deterioration in mechanical properties due to fundamental changes in deformation and fracture mechanisms. When compared to the behavior of NFAs, the FM steels have shown much less strength dependence and formed narrow fracture toughness data bands at a significantly lower strength region. It appeared that at high temperatures ≥600 °C the NFAs cannot retain the nanostructure advantage of high strength and high toughness either by high-temperature embrittlement or by excessive loss of strength. Finally, irradiation studies have revealed, however, that the NFAs have much stronger radiation resistance than tempered martensitic steels, such as lower radiation-induced swelling, finer helium bubble formation, lower irradiation creep rate and reduced low temperature embrittlement.« less

Results of ASTM round robin testing for mode 1 interlaminar fracture toughness of composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obrien, T. Kevin; Martin, Roderick H.

1992-01-01

The results are summarized of several interlaboratory 'round robin' test programs for measuring the mode 1 interlaminar fracture toughness of advanced fiber reinforced composite materials. Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests were conducted by participants in ASTM committee D30 on High Modulus Fibers and their Composites and by representatives of the European Group on Fracture (EGF) and the Japanese Industrial Standards Group (JIS). DCB tests were performed on three AS4 carbon fiber reinforced composite materials: AS4/3501-6 with a brittle epoxy matrix; AS4/BP907 with a tough epoxy matrix; and AS4/PEEK with a tough thermoplastic matrix. Difficulties encountered in manufacturing panels, as well as conducting the tests are discussed. Critical issues that developed during the course of the testing are highlighted. Results of the round robin testing used to determine the precision of the ASTM DCB test standard are summarized.

A method for evaluating the fatigue crack growth in spiral notch torsion fracture toughness test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Jy -An John; Tan, Ting

The spiral notch torsion test (SNTT) has been a recent breakthrough in measuring fracture toughness for different materials, including metals, ceramics, concrete, and polymers composites. Due to its high geometry constraint and unique loading condition, SNTT can be used to measure the fracture toughness with smaller specimens without concern of size effects. The application of SNTT to brittle materials has been proved to be successful. The micro-cracks induced by original notches in brittle materials could ensure crack growth in SNTT samples. Therefore, no fatigue pre-cracks are needed. The application of SNTT to the ductile material to generate valid toughness datamore » will require a test sample with sufficient crack length. Fatigue pre-crack growth techniques are employed to introduce sharp crack front into the sample. Previously, only rough calculations were applied to estimate the compliance evolution in the SNTT crack growth process, while accurate quantitative descriptions have never been attempted. This generates an urgent need to understand the crack evolution during the SNTT fracture testing process of ductile materials. Here, the newly developed governing equations for SNTT crack growth estimate are discussed in the paper.« less

A method for evaluating the fatigue crack growth in spiral notch torsion fracture toughness test

DOE PAGES

Wang, Jy -An John; Tan, Ting

2018-05-21

The spiral notch torsion test (SNTT) has been a recent breakthrough in measuring fracture toughness for different materials, including metals, ceramics, concrete, and polymers composites. Due to its high geometry constraint and unique loading condition, SNTT can be used to measure the fracture toughness with smaller specimens without concern of size effects. The application of SNTT to brittle materials has been proved to be successful. The micro-cracks induced by original notches in brittle materials could ensure crack growth in SNTT samples. Therefore, no fatigue pre-cracks are needed. The application of SNTT to the ductile material to generate valid toughness datamore » will require a test sample with sufficient crack length. Fatigue pre-crack growth techniques are employed to introduce sharp crack front into the sample. Previously, only rough calculations were applied to estimate the compliance evolution in the SNTT crack growth process, while accurate quantitative descriptions have never been attempted. This generates an urgent need to understand the crack evolution during the SNTT fracture testing process of ductile materials. Here, the newly developed governing equations for SNTT crack growth estimate are discussed in the paper.« less

Rock Fracture Toughness Under Mode II Loading: A Theoretical Model Based on Local Strain Energy Density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashidi Moghaddam, M.; Ayatollahi, M. R.; Berto, F.

2018-01-01

The values of mode II fracture toughness reported in the literature for several rocks are studied theoretically by using a modified criterion based on strain energy density averaged over a control volume around the crack tip. The modified criterion takes into account the effect of T-stress in addition to the singular terms of stresses/strains. The experimental results are related to mode II fracture tests performed on the semicircular bend and Brazilian disk specimens. There are good agreements between theoretical predictions using the generalized averaged strain energy density criterion and the experimental results. The theoretical results reveal that the value of mode II fracture toughness is affected by the size of control volume around the crack tip and also the magnitude and sign of T-stress.

Directionally Solidified NiAl-Based Alloys Studied for Improved Elevated-Temperature Strength and Room-Temperature Fracture Toughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whittenberger, J. Daniel; Raj, Sai V.; Locci, Ivan E.; Salem, Jonathan A.

2000-01-01

Efforts are underway to replace superalloys used in the hot sections of gas turbine engines with materials possessing better mechanical and physical properties. Alloys based on the intermetallic NiAl have demonstrated potential; however, they generally suffer from low fracture resistance (toughness) at room temperature and from poor strength at elevated temperatures. Directional solidification of NiAl alloyed with both Cr and Mo has yielded materials with useful toughness and elevated-temperature strength values. The intermetallic alloy NiAl has been proposed as an advanced material to extend the maximum operational temperature of gas turbine engines by several hundred degrees centigrade. This intermetallic alloy displays a lower density (approximately 30-percent less) and a higher thermal conductivity (4 to 8 times greater) than conventional superalloys as well as good high-temperature oxidation resistance. Unfortunately, unalloyed NiAl has poor elevated temperature strength (approximately 50 MPa at 1027 C) and low room-temperature fracture toughness (about 5 MPa). Directionally solidified NiAl eutectic alloys are known to possess a combination of high elevated-temperature strength and good room-temperature fracture toughness. Research has demonstrated that a NiAl matrix containing a uniform distribution of very thin Cr plates alloyed with Mo possessed both increased fracture toughness and elevated-temperature creep strength. Although attractive properties were obtained, these alloys were formed at low growth rates (greater than 19 mm/hr), which are considered to be economically unviable. Hence, an investigation was warranted of the strength and toughness behavior of NiAl-(Cr,Mo) directionally solidified at faster growth rates. If the mechanical properties did not deteriorate with increased growth rates, directional solidification could offer an economical means to produce NiAl-based alloys commercially for gas turbine engines. An investigation at the NASA Glenn

Cryogenic Fracture Toughness Evaluation of an Investment Cast Aluminum-Beryllium Alloy for Structural Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gamwell, Wayne; McGill, Preston

2006-01-01

This document is a viewgraph presentation that details the fracture toughness of Aluminum-Beryllium Alloy for use in structures at cryogenic temperatures. Graphs and charts are presented in the presentation

Crack growth and fracture toughness of amorphous Li-Si anodes: Mechanisms and role of charging/discharging studied by atomistic simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosrownejad, S. M.; Curtin, W. A.

2017-10-01

Fracture is the main cause of degradation and capacity fading in lithiated silicon during cycling. Experiments on the fracture of lithiated silicon show conflicting results, and so mechanistic models can help interpret experiments and guide component design. Here, large-scale K-controlled atomistic simulations of crack propagation (R-curve KI vs. Δa) are performed at LixSi compositions x = 0.5 , 1.0 , 1.5 for as-quenched/relaxed samples and at x = 0.5 , 1.0 for samples created by discharging from higher Li compositions. In all cases, the fracture mechanism is void nucleation, growth, and coalescence. In as-quenched materials, with increasing Li content the plastic flow stress and elastic moduli decrease but void nucleation and growth happen at smaller stress, so that the initial fracture toughness KIc ≈ 1.0 MPa√{ m} decreases slightly but the initial fracture energy JIc ≈ 10.5J/m2 is similar. After 10 nm of crack growth, the fracture toughnesses increase and become similar at KIc ≈ 1.9 MPa√{ m} across all compositions. Plane-strain equi-biaxial expansion simulations of uncracked samples provide complementary information on void nucleation and growth. The simulations are interpreted within the framework of Gurson model for ductile fracture, which predicts JIc = ασy D where α ≃ 1 and D is the void spacing, and good agreement is found. In spite of flowing plastically, the fracture toughness of LixSi is low because voids nucleate within nano-sized distances ahead of the crack (D ≈ 1nm). Scaling simulation results to experimental conditions, reasonable agreement with experimentally-estimated fracture toughnesses is obtained. The discharging process facilitates void nucleation but decreases the flow stress (as shown previously), leading to enhanced fracture toughness at all levels of crack growth. Therefore, the fracture behavior of lithiated silicon at a given composition is not a material property but instead depends on the history of charging

Experimental and Numerical Study on the Cracked Chevron Notched Semi-Circular Bend Method for Characterizing the Mode I Fracture Toughness of Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Ming-Dong; Dai, Feng; Xu, Nu-Wen; Liu, Jian-Feng; Xu, Yuan

2016-05-01

The cracked chevron notched semi-circular bending (CCNSCB) method for measuring the mode I fracture toughness of rocks combines the merits (e.g., avoidance of tedious pre-cracking of notch tips, ease of sample preparation and loading accommodation) of both methods suggested by the International Society for Rock Mechanics, which are the cracked chevron notched Brazilian disc (CCNBD) method and the notched semi-circular bend (NSCB) method. However, the limited availability of the critical dimensionless stress intensity factor (SIF) values severely hinders the widespread usage of the CCNSCB method. In this study, the critical SIFs are determined for a wide range of CCNSCB specimen geometries via three-dimensional finite element analysis. A relatively large support span in the three point bending configuration was considered because the fracture of the CCNSCB specimen in that situation is finely restricted in the notch ligament, which has been commonly assumed for mode I fracture toughness measurements using chevron notched rock specimens. Both CCNSCB and NSCB tests were conducted to measure the fracture toughness of two different rock types; for each rock type, the two methods produce similar toughness values. Given the reported experimental results, the CCNSCB method can be reliable for characterizing the mode I fracture toughness of rocks.

Effect of initial delamination on Mode 1 and Mode 2 interlaminar fracture toughness and fatigue fracture threshold

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murri, Gretchen Bostaph; Martin, Roderick H.

1991-01-01

Static and fatigue double-cantilever beam (DCB) and end-notch flexure (ENF) tests were conducted to determine the effect of the simulated initial delamination in interlaminar fracture toughness, G(sub c), and fatigue fracture threshold, G(sub th). Unidirectional, 24-ply specimens of S2/SP250 glass/epoxy were tested using Kapton inserts of four different thickness - 13, 25, 75, and 130 microns, at the midplane at one end, or with tension or shear precracks, to simulate an initial delamination. To determine G(sub c), the fatigue fracture threshold below which no delamination growth would occur in less than 1 x 10(exp 6) cycles, fatigue tests were conducted by cyclically loading specimens until delamination growth was detected. Consistent values of model 1 fracture toughness, G(sub Ic), were measured from DCB specimens with inserts of thickness 75 microns or thinner, or with shear precracks. The fatigue DCB tests gave similar values of G(sub Ith) for the 13, 25, and 75 microns specimens. Results for the shear precracked specimens were significantly lower that for specimens without precracks. Results for both the static and fatigue ENF tests showed that measured G(IIc) and G(IIth) values decreased with decreasing insert thickness, so that no limiting thickness could be determined. Results for specimens with inserts of 75 microns or thicker were significantly higher than the results for precracked specimens or specimens with 13 or 25 microns inserts.

Improvement of Fracture Toughness in Epoxy Nanocomposites through Chemical Hybridization of Carbon Nanotubes and Alumina.

PubMed

Zakaria, Muhammad Razlan; Abdul Kudus, Muhammad Helmi; Md Akil, Hazizan; Zamri, Mohd Hafiz

2017-03-16

The current study investigated the effect of adding a carbon nanotube-alumina (CNT-Al₂O₃) hybrid on the fracture toughness of epoxy nanocomposites. The CNT-Al₂O₃ hybrid was synthesised by growing CNTs on Al₂O₃ particles via the chemical vapour deposition method. The CNTs were strongly attached onto the Al₂O₃ particles, which served to transport and disperse the CNTs homogenously, and to prevent agglomeration in the CNTs. The experimental results demonstrated that the CNT-Al₂O₃ hybrid-filled epoxy nanocomposites showed improvement in terms of the fracture toughness, as indicated by an increase of up to 26% in the critical stress intensity factor, K 1 C , compared to neat epoxy.

Fractured toughness of Si3N4 measured with short bar chevron-notched specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salem, J. A.; Shannon, J. L., Jr.

1985-01-01

The short bar chevron-notched specimen is used to measure the plane strain fracture toughness of hot pressed Si3N4. Specimen proportions and chevron-notch angle are varied, thereby varying the amount of crack extension to maximum load (upon which K sub IC is based). The measured toughness (4.68 + or - 0.19 MNm to the 3/2 power) is independent of these variations, inferring that the material has a flat crack growth resistance curve.

Fracture toughness of Si3N4 measured with short bar chevron-notched specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salem, Jonathan A.; Shannon, John L., Jr.

1987-01-01

The short bar chevron-notched specimen is used to measure the plane strain fracture toughness of hot pressed Si3N4. Specimen proportions and chevron-notch angle are varied, thereby varying the amount of crack extension to maximum load (upon which K sub IC is based). The measured toughness (4.68 + or 0.19 MNm to the 3/2 power) is independent of these variations, inferring that the material has a flat crack growth resistance curve.

Fracture toughness and Charpy impact properties of several RAFMS before and after irradiation in HFIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, M. A.; Tanigawa, H.; Odette, G. R.; Shiba, K.; Klueh, R. L.

2007-08-01

As part of the development of candidate reduced-activation ferritic steels for fusion applications, several steels, namely F82H, 9Cr-2WVTa steels and F82H weld metal, are being investigated in the joint DOE-JAEA collaboration program. Within this program, three capsules containing a variety of specimen designs were irradiated at two design temperatures in the ORNL High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). Two capsules, RB-11J and RB-12J, were irradiated in the HFIR removable beryllium positions with europium oxide (Eu 2O 3) thermal neutron shields in place. Specimens were irradiated up to 5 dpa. Capsule JP25 was irradiated in the HFIR target position to 20 dpa. The design temperatures were 300 °C and 500 °C. Precracked third-sized V-notch Charpy (3.3 × 3.3 × 25.4 mm) and 0.18 T DC(T) specimens were tested to determine transition and ductile shelf fracture toughness before and after irradiation. The master curve methodology was applied to evaluate the fracture toughness transition temperature, T0. Irradiation induced shifts of T0 and reductions of JQ were compared with Charpy V-notch impact properties. Fracture toughness and Charpy shifts were also compared to hardening results.

The effect of aging on the fracture toughness of esthetic restorative materials.

PubMed

Bagheri, Rafat; Azar, Mohammad R; Tyas, Martin J; Burrow, Michael F

2010-06-01

To compare the fracture toughness (KIc) of tooth-colored restorative materials based on a four-point bending; to assess the effect of distilled water and a resin surface sealant (G-Coat Plus) on the resistance of the materials to fracture. Specimens were prepared from six materials: Quix Fil; Dyract (Dentsply), Freedom (SDI), Fuji VII (GC), Fuji IX (GC); Fuji II LC (GC). Fuji II LC and Fuji IX were tested both with and without applying G-Coat Plus (GC). The specimens were divided into the three groups which were conditioned in distilled water at 37 degrees C for 48 hours, 4 and 8 weeks. The specimens were loaded in a four-point bending test using a universal testing machine. The maximum load to specimen failure was recorded and the fracture toughness calculated. There were significant differences among most of the materials (P < 0.001). Quix Fil had the highest mean KIc value and Fuji VII the lowest. Immersion in distilled water for the resin composite and polyacid-modified resin composites caused a significant decrease in KIc as the time interval increased. For glass-ionomer cements, KIc decreased significantly after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks immersion slightly increased. G-Coat Plus affected Fuji II LC positively while it had no effect on the Fuji IX.

75 FR 72653 - Alternate Fracture Toughness Requirements for Protection Against Pressurized Thermal Shock Events...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-26

..., Criminal penalties, Fire protection, Intergovernmental relations, Nuclear power plants and reactors... Requirements for Protection Against Pressurized Thermal Shock Events; Correction AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... fracture toughness requirements for protection against pressurized thermal shock (PTS) events for...

Monitoring crack extension in fracture toughness tests by ultrasonics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klima, S. J.; Fisher, D. M.; Buzzard, R. J.

1975-01-01

An ultrasonic method was used to observe the onset of crack extension and to monitor continued crack growth in fracture toughness specimens during three point bend tests. A 20 MHz transducer was used with commercially available equipment to detect average crack extension less than 0.09 mm. The material tested was a 300-grade maraging steel in the annealed condition. A crack extension resistance curve was developed to demonstrate the usefulness of the ultrasonic method for minimizing the number of tests required to generate such curves.

USE OF SMALL SPECIMENS FOR FRACTURE TOUGHNESS EVALUATION OF RPV STEELS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sokolov, Mikhail A; Nanstad, Randy K

2016-01-01

Small specimens are playing the key role in evaluating properties of irradiated materials. The use of small specimens provides several advantages. Typically, only a small volume of material can be irradiated in a reactor at desirable conditions in terms of temperature, neutron flux, and neutron dose. A small volume of irradiated material may also allow for easier handling of specimens. Smaller specimens reduce the amount of radioactive material, minimizing personnel exposures and waste disposal. However, use of small specimens imposes a variety of challenges as well. These challenges are associated with proper accounting for size effects and transferability of smallmore » specimen data to the real structures of interest. Any fracture toughness specimen that can be made out of standard Charpy specimen or its broken half may have exceptional utility for evaluation of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) since it would allow one to determine and monitor directly actual fracture toughness instead of requiring indirect predictions using correlations established with impact data. The Charpy V-notch specimen is the most commonly used specimen geometry in surveillance programs and most likely to be used in advanced reactors as per ASME code.« less

Improvement of Fracture Toughness in Epoxy Nanocomposites through Chemical Hybridization of Carbon Nanotubes and Alumina

PubMed Central

Zakaria, Muhammad Razlan; Abdul Kudus, Muhammad Helmi; Md. Akil, Hazizan; Zamri, Mohd Hafiz

2017-01-01

The current study investigated the effect of adding a carbon nanotube–alumina (CNT–Al2O3) hybrid on the fracture toughness of epoxy nanocomposites. The CNT–Al2O3 hybrid was synthesised by growing CNTs on Al2O3 particles via the chemical vapour deposition method. The CNTs were strongly attached onto the Al2O3 particles, which served to transport and disperse the CNTs homogenously, and to prevent agglomeration in the CNTs. The experimental results demonstrated that the CNT–Al2O3 hybrid-filled epoxy nanocomposites showed improvement in terms of the fracture toughness, as indicated by an increase of up to 26% in the critical stress intensity factor, K1C, compared to neat epoxy. PMID:28772663

An Effective Modal Approach to the Dynamic Evaluation of Fracture Toughness of Quasi-Brittle Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, L. E. T.; Vareda, L. V.; Hanai, J. B.; Sousa, J. L. A. O.; Silva, A. I.

2017-05-01

A modal dynamic analysis is used as the tool to evaluate the fracture toughness of concrete from the results of notched-through beam tests. The dimensionless functions describing the relation between the frequencies and specimen geometry used for identifying the variation in the natural frequency as a function of crack depth is first determined for a 150 × 150 × 500-mm notched-through specimen. The frequency decrease resulting from the propagating crack is modeled through a modal/fracture mechanics approach, leading to determination of an effective crack length. This length, obtained numerically, is used to evaluate the fracture toughness of concrete, the critical crack mouth opening displacements, and the brittleness index proposed. The methodology is applied to tests performed on high-strength concrete specimens. The frequency response for each specimen is evaluated before and after each crack propagation step. The methodology is then validated by comparison with results from the application of other methodologies described in the literature and suggested by RILEM.

Effect of Retained Austenite on the Fracture Toughness of Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P)-Treated Sheet Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Riming; Li, Wei; Zhou, Shu; Zhong, Yong; Wang, Li; Jin, Xuejun

2014-04-01

Fracture toughness K IC was measured by double edge-notched tension (DENT) specimens with fatigue precracks on quenching and partitioning (Q&P)-treated high-strength (ultimate tensile strength [UTS] superior to 1200 MPa) sheet steels consisting of 4 to 10 vol pct of retained austenite. Crack extension force, G IC, evaluated from the measured K IC, is used to analyze the role of retained austenite in different fracture behavior. Meanwhile, G IC is deduced by a constructed model based on energy absorption by martensite transformation (MT) behavior of retained austenite in Q&P-treated steels. The tendency of the change of two results is in good agreement. The Q&P-treated steel, quenched at 573 K (300 °C), then partitioned at 573 K (300 °C), holding for 60 seconds, has a fracture toughness of 74.1 MPa·m1/2, which is 32 pct higher than quenching and tempering steel (55.9 MPa·m1/2), and 16 pct higher than quenching and austempering (QAT) steel (63.8 MPa·m1/2). MT is found to occur preferentially at the tips of extension cracks on less stable retained austenite, which further improves the toughness of Q&P steels; on the contrary, the MT that occurs at more stable retained austenite has a detrimental effect on toughness.

Statistical Analyses for Probabilistic Assessments of the Reactor Pressure Vessel Structural Integrity: Building a Master Curve on an Extract of the 'Euro' Fracture Toughness Dataset, Controlling Statistical Uncertainty for Both Mono-Temperature and multi-temperature tests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Josse, Florent; Lefebvre, Yannick; Todeschini, Patrick

2006-07-01

Assessing the structural integrity of a nuclear Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) subjected to pressurized-thermal-shock (PTS) transients is extremely important to safety. In addition to conventional deterministic calculations to confirm RPV integrity, Electricite de France (EDF) carries out probabilistic analyses. Probabilistic analyses are interesting because some key variables, albeit conventionally taken at conservative values, can be modeled more accurately through statistical variability. One variable which significantly affects RPV structural integrity assessment is cleavage fracture initiation toughness. The reference fracture toughness method currently in use at EDF is the RCCM and ASME Code lower-bound K{sub IC} based on the indexing parameter RT{submore » NDT}. However, in order to quantify the toughness scatter for probabilistic analyses, the master curve method is being analyzed at present. Furthermore, the master curve method is a direct means of evaluating fracture toughness based on K{sub JC} data. In the framework of the master curve investigation undertaken by EDF, this article deals with the following two statistical items: building a master curve from an extract of a fracture toughness dataset (from the European project 'Unified Reference Fracture Toughness Design curves for RPV Steels') and controlling statistical uncertainty for both mono-temperature and multi-temperature tests. Concerning the first point, master curve temperature dependence is empirical in nature. To determine the 'original' master curve, Wallin postulated that a unified description of fracture toughness temperature dependence for ferritic steels is possible, and used a large number of data corresponding to nuclear-grade pressure vessel steels and welds. Our working hypothesis is that some ferritic steels may behave in slightly different ways. Therefore we focused exclusively on the basic french reactor vessel metal of types A508 Class 3 and A 533 grade B Class 1, taking the

Effect of Solute Segregation on Fracture Toughness in a Ni-Cr Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kameda, Jun

1981-12-01

A study has been made of the influence of intergranular solute segregation on fracture toughness K1c in a series of Ni-Cr steels individually doped with Sb, Sn, and P. By means of toughness measurements in steels having two different intergranular Sb distributions, of measurements of acoustic emissions and of scanning electron micrographs of a load-interrupted and post-test-fatigued specimen, the values of K1c, computed from the “pop-in” load of the load vs clip gauge displacement curves, are found to represent the formation of many patches of contiguous intergranular microcracks ahead of the precrack. The present experiments demonstrate that in the early stage of solute segregation, K1c decreases more substantially than does the strength of grain boundaries σ* (measured in the notched bar tests), although the embrittlement effects of metalloid elements are the same order for both K1c and σ*. A proposed model for the stress-gradient-control of brittle fracture supports the finding that the measurements of K1c give a distorted view of the progress of intergranular embrittlement.

Effect of far-field stresses and residual stresses incorporation in predicting fracture toughness of carbon nanotube reinforced yttria stabilized zirconia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahato, Neelima; Nisar, Ambreen; Mohapatra, Pratyasha; Rawat, Siddharth; Ariharan, S.; Balani, Kantesh

2017-10-01

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a potential thermal insulating ceramic for high temperature applications (>1000 °C). YSZ reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) was processed via spark plasma sintering to produce dense, crack-free homogeneous sample and avoid any degradation of MWNTs when sintered using conventional routes. Despite porosity, the addition of MWNT has a profound effect in improving the damage tolerance of YSZ by allowing the retention of tetragonal phase. However, at some instances, the crack lengths in the MWNT reinforced YSZ matrices have been found to be longer than the standalone counterparts. Therefore, it becomes inappropriate to apply Anstis equation to calculate fracture toughness values. In this regard, a combined analytical cum numerical method is used to estimate the theoretical fracture toughness and quantitatively analyze the mechanics of matrix cracking in the reinforced composite matrices incorporating the effects of various factors (such as far-field stresses, volume fraction of MWNTs, change in the modulus and Poisson's ratio values along with the increase in porosity, and bridging and phase transformation mechanism) affecting the fracture toughness of YSZ-MWNT composites. The results suggest that the incorporation of far-field stresses cannot be ignored in estimating the theoretical fracture toughness of YSZ-MWNT composites.

The effect of microstructure on the fracture toughness of titanium alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanstone, R. H.; Low, J. R., Jr.; Shannon, J. L., Jr.

1974-01-01

The microstructure of the alpha titanium alloy Ti-5Al-2.5Sn and the metastable beta titanium alloy Beta 3 was examined. The material was from normal and extra low interstitial grade plates which were either air-cooled or furnace-cooled from an annealing treatment. Beta 3 was studied in alpha-aged and omega-aged plates which were heat treated to similar strength levels. Tensile and plane strain fracture toughness tests were conducted at room temperature on the alpha-aged material. The microstructure and fracture mechanisms of alloys were studied using optical metallography, electron microscopy, microprobe analyses, and texture pole figures. Future experiments are described.

Fracture Toughness and Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of As-Cast High-Entropy Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifi, Mohsen; Li, Dongyue; Yong, Zhang; Liaw, Peter K.; Lewandowski, John J.

2015-08-01

The fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth behavior of two as-vacuum arc cast high-entropy alloys (HEAs) (Al0.2CrFeNiTi0.2 and AlCrFeNi2Cu) were determined. A microstructure examination of both HEA alloys revealed a two-phase structure consisting of body-centered cubic (bcc) and face-centered cubic (fcc) phases. The notched and fatigue precracked toughness values were in the range of those reported in the literature for two-phase alloys but significantly less than recent reports on a single phase fcc-HEA that was deformation processed. Fatigue crack growth experiments revealed high fatigue thresholds that decreased significantly with an increase in load ratio, while Paris law slopes exhibited metallic-like behavior at low R with significant increases at high R. Fracture surface examinations revealed combinations of brittle and ductile/dimpled regions at overload, with some evidence of fatigue striations in the Paris law regime.

The Evolution of Plate and Extruded Products with High Strength and Fracture Toughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denzer, D. K.; Rioja, R. J.; Bray, G. H.; Venema, G. B.; Colvin, E. L.

From the first use of 2017-T74 on the Junkers F13, improvements have been made to plate and extruded products for applications requiring the highest attainable strength and adequate fracture toughness. One such application is the upper wing of large aircraft. The progression of these product improvements achieved through the development of alloys that include 7075-(T6 & T76), 7150-(T6 & T77) and 7055-(T77 & T79) and most recently 7255-(T77 & T79) is reviewed. The most current advancements include aluminum-copper-lithium, alloy 2055 plate and extruded products that can attain strength equivalent to that of 7055-T77 with higher modulus, similar fracture toughness and improved fatigue, fatigue crack growth and corrosion performance. The achievement of these properties is explained in terms of the several alloy design principles. The highly desired and balanced characteristics make these products ideal for upper wing applications.

Evaluation of fracture toughness and mechanical properties of ternary thiol-ene-methacrylate systems as resin matrix for dental restorative composites.

PubMed

Beigi, Saeed; Yeganeh, Hamid; Atai, Mohammad

2013-07-01

Study and evaluation of fracture toughness, flexural and dynamic mechanical properties, and crosslink density of ternary thiol-ene-methacrylate systems and comparison with corresponding conventional methacrylate system were considered in the present study. Urethane tetra allyl ether monomer (UTAE) was synthesized as ene monomer. Different formulations were prepared based on combination of UTAE, BisGMA/TEGDMA and a tetrathiol monomer (PETMP). The photocuring reaction was conducted under visible light using BD/CQ combination as photoinitiator system. Mechanical properties were evaluated via measuring flexural strength, flexural modulus and fracture toughness. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to study the morphology of the fractured specimen's cross section. Viscoelastic properties of the samples were also determined by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The same study was performed on a conventional methacrylate system. The data were analyzed and compared by ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests (significance level=0.05). The results showed improvement in fracture toughness of the specimens containing thiol-ene moieties. DMTA revealed a lower glass transition temperature and more homogenous structure for thiol-ene containing specimens in comparison to the system containing merely methacrylate monomer. The flexural modulus and flexural strength of the specimens with higher thiol-ene content were lower than the neat methacrylate system. The SEM micrographs of the fractured surface of specimens with higher methacrylate content were smooth and mirror-like (shiny) which represent brittle fracture. The thiol-ene-methacrylate system can be used as resin matrix of dental composites with enhanced fracture toughness in comparison to the methacrylate analogous. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ADM guidance-Ceramics: Fracture toughness testing and method selection.

PubMed

Cesar, Paulo Francisco; Della Bona, Alvaro; Scherrer, Susanne S; Tholey, Michael; van Noort, Richard; Vichi, Alessandro; Kelly, Robert; Lohbauer, Ulrich

2017-06-01

The objective is within the scope of the Academy of Dental Materials Guidance Project, which is to provide dental materials researchers with a critical analysis of fracture toughness (FT) tests such that the assessment of the FT of dental ceramics is conducted in a reliable, repeatable and reproducible way. Fracture mechanics theory and FT methodologies were critically reviewed to introduce basic fracture principles and determine the main advantages and disadvantages of existing FT methods from the standpoint of the dental researcher. The recommended methods for FT determination of dental ceramics were the Single Edge "V" Notch Beam (SEVNB), Single Edge Precracked Beam (SEPB), Chevron Notch Beam (CNB), and Surface Crack in Flexure (SCF). SEVNB's main advantage is the ease of producing the notch via a cutting disk, SEPB allows for production of an atomically sharp crack generated by a specific precracking device, CNB is technically difficult, but based on solid fracture mechanics solutions, and SCF involves fracture from a clinically sized precrack. The IF test should be avoided due to heavy criticism that has arisen in the engineering field regarding the empirical nature of the calculations used for FT determination. Dental researchers interested in FT measurement of dental ceramics should start with a broad review of fracture mechanics theory to understand the underlying principles involved in fast fracture of ceramics. The choice of FT methodology should be based on the pros and cons of each test, as described in this literature review. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the fracture toughness and flexural strength of pressable dental ceramics: an in vitro study.

PubMed

Gurram, Ravi; Krishna, C H Vamsi; Reddy, K Mahendranadh; Reddy, G V K Mohan; Shastry, Y Mahadev

2014-12-01

The study was undertaken to evaluate the biaxial flexural strength, biaxial flexural strength after etching with 9 % HF acid and fracture toughness of three commonly used pressable all ceramic core materials. Ninety glass ceramic specimens were fabricated from three commercially available leucite based core ceramic material (1) Esthetic Empress, (2) Cergo, and (3) Performance Plus. Thirty discs of each material were divided into three groups of 10 discs each. Biaxial flexural strength (30 discs,) Biaxial flexural strength for samples treated with 9 % HF acid (30 discs) and fracture toughness (30 discs) were evaluated. Core material Performance Plus had the lowest biaxial strength of 124.89 MPa, Cergo had strength of 152.22 MPa and the highest value of 163.95 was reported for Esthetic Empress. For samples treated 9 % HF, Performance Plus had the lowest biaxial strength of 98.37 MPa, Cergo had strength of 117.42 MPa and the highest value of 143.74 was reported for Esthetic Empress. Core material Performance Plus had the lowest fracture toughness of 1.063 MPa, Cergo had strength of 1.112 MPa and the highest value of 1.225 was reported for Esthetic Empress. The results shows that Esthetic Empress had better mechanical properties compared to Cergo had Performance Plus in relation to the parameters tested.

Fracture toughness of the IEA heat of F82H ferritic/martensitic stainless steel as a function of loading mode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Huaxin; Gelles, D.S.; Hirth, J.P.

1997-04-01

Mode I and mixed-mode I/III fracture toughness tests were performed for the IEA heat of the reduced activation ferritic/martensitic stainless steel F82H at ambient temperature in order to provide comparison with previous measurements on a small heat given a different heat treatment. The results showed that heat to heat variations and heat treatment had negligible consequences on Mode I fracture toughness, but behavior during mixed-mode testing showed unexpected instabilities.

Composite Interlaminar Shear Fracture Toughness, G(sub 2c): Shear Measurement of Sheer Myth?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

OBrien, T. Kevin

1997-01-01

The concept of G2c as a measure of the interlaminar shear fracture toughness of a composite material is critically examined. In particular, it is argued that the apparent G2c as typically measured is inconsistent with the original definition of shear fracture. It is shown that interlaminar shear failure actually consists of tension failures in the resin rich layers between plies followed by the coalescence of ligaments created by these failures and not the sliding of two planes relative to one another that is assumed in fracture mechanics theory. Several strain energy release rate solutions are reviewed for delamination in composite laminates and structural components where failures have been experimentally documented. Failures typically occur at a location where the mode 1 component accounts for at least one half of the total G at failure. Hence, it is the mode I and mixed-mode interlaminar fracture toughness data that will be most useful in predicting delamination failure in composite components in service. Although apparent G2c measurements may prove useful for completeness of generating mixed-mode criteria, the accuracy of these measurements may have very little influence on the prediction of mixed-mode failures in most structural components.

Effect of nano/micro B4C and SiC particles on fracture properties of aluminum 7075 particulate composites under chevron-notch plane strain fracture toughness test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morovvati, M. R.; Lalehpour, A.; Esmaeilzare, A.

2016-12-01

Reinforcing aluminum with SiC and B4C nano/micro particles can lead to a more efficient material in terms of strength and light weight. The influence of adding these particles to an aluminum 7075 matrix is investigated using chevron-notch fracture toughness test method. The reinforcing factors are type, size (micro/nano), and weight percent of the particles. The fracture parameters are maximum load, notch opening displacement, the work up to fracture and chevron notch plane strain fracture toughness. The findings demonstrate that addition of micro and nano size particles improves the fracture properties; however, increasing the weight percent of the particles leads to increase of fracture properties up to a certain level and after that due to agglomeration of the particles, the improvement does not happen for both particle types and size categories. Agglomeration of particles at higher amounts of reinforcing particles results in improper distribution of particles and reduction in mechanical properties.

Effect of temperature on the fracture toughness in the nuclear reactor pressure vessel steel (SA508-3)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oh, S.W.; Lim, M.B.; Yoon, H.K.

1994-12-31

The elastic-plastic fracture toughness J{sub IC} of the Nuclear Reactor Pressure Vessel Steel (SA508-3) which has high toughness was obtained at three temperatures (room temperature, {minus}20 C, 200 C) using a 1/2 CT specimen. Especially the two methods recommended in ASTM and JSME were compared. It was found that difficulty exists in obtaining J{sub IC} by ASTM R-curve method, while JSME R-curve method yielded good results. The stretched zone width method gave slightly larger J{sub IC} values than those by the R-curve method for SA508-3 steel and the blunting line was not affected by the test temperatures. The relation betweenmore » SZW and J, SZW and J/E and SZW and J/{sigma}{sub ys} before initiation of a stable crack growth in the fracture toughness test at three temperatures is described.« less

Improvement of the mode II interface fracture toughness of glass fiber reinforced plastics/aluminum laminates through vapor grown carbon fiber interleaves.

PubMed

Ning, Huiming; Li, Yuan; Hu, Ning; Cao, Yanping; Yan, Cheng; Azuma, Takesi; Peng, Xianghe; Wu, Liangke; Li, Jinhua; Li, Leilei

2014-06-01

The effects of acid treatment, vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF) interlayer and the angle, i.e., 0° and 90°, between the rolling stripes of an aluminum (Al) plate and the fiber direction of glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) on the mode II interlaminar mechanical properties of GFRP/Al laminates were investigated. The experimental results of an end notched flexure test demonstrate that the acid treatment and the proper addition of VGCF can effectively improve the critical load and mode II fracture toughness of GFRP/Al laminates. The specimens with acid treatment and 10 g m -2 VGCF addition possess the highest mode II fracture toughness, i.e., 269% and 385% increases in the 0° and 90° specimens, respectively compared to those corresponding pristine ones. Due to the induced anisotropy by the rolling stripes on the aluminum plate, the 90° specimens possess 15.3%-73.6% higher mode II fracture toughness compared to the 0° specimens. The improvement mechanisms were explored by the observation of crack propagation path and fracture surface with optical, laser scanning and scanning electron microscopies. Moreover, finite element analyses were carried out based on the cohesive zone model to verify the experimental fracture toughness and to predict the interface shear strength between the aluminum plates and GFRP laminates.

Improvement of the mode II interface fracture toughness of glass fiber reinforced plastics/aluminum laminates through vapor grown carbon fiber interleaves

PubMed Central

Ning, Huiming; Li, Yuan; Hu, Ning; Cao, Yanping; Yan, Cheng; Azuma, Takesi; Peng, Xianghe; Wu, Liangke; Li, Jinhua; Li, Leilei

2014-01-01

The effects of acid treatment, vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF) interlayer and the angle, i.e., 0° and 90°, between the rolling stripes of an aluminum (Al) plate and the fiber direction of glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) on the mode II interlaminar mechanical properties of GFRP/Al laminates were investigated. The experimental results of an end notched flexure test demonstrate that the acid treatment and the proper addition of VGCF can effectively improve the critical load and mode II fracture toughness of GFRP/Al laminates. The specimens with acid treatment and 10 g m−2 VGCF addition possess the highest mode II fracture toughness, i.e., 269% and 385% increases in the 0° and 90° specimens, respectively compared to those corresponding pristine ones. Due to the induced anisotropy by the rolling stripes on the aluminum plate, the 90° specimens possess 15.3%–73.6% higher mode II fracture toughness compared to the 0° specimens. The improvement mechanisms were explored by the observation of crack propagation path and fracture surface with optical, laser scanning and scanning electron microscopies. Moreover, finite element analyses were carried out based on the cohesive zone model to verify the experimental fracture toughness and to predict the interface shear strength between the aluminum plates and GFRP laminates. PMID:27877680

Calculation for tensile strength and fracture toughness of granite with three kinds of grain sizes using three-point-bending test.

PubMed

Yu, Miao; Wei, Chenhui; Niu, Leilei; Li, Shaohua; Yu, Yongjun

2018-01-01

Tensile strength and fracture toughness, important parameters of the rock for engineering applications are difficult to measure. Thus this paper selected three kinds of granite samples (grain sizes = 1.01mm, 2.12mm and 3mm), used the combined experiments of physical and numerical simulation (RFPA-DIP version) to conduct three-point-bending (3-p-b) tests with different notches and introduced the acoustic emission monitor system to analyze the fracture mechanism around the notch tips. To study the effects of grain size on the tensile strength and toughness of rock samples, a modified fracture model was established linking fictitious crack to the grain size so that the microstructure of the specimens and fictitious crack growth can be considered together. The fractal method was introduced to represent microstructure of three kinds of granites and used to determine the length of fictitious crack. It is a simple and novel method to calculate the tensile strength and fracture toughness directly. Finally, the theoretical model was verified by the comparison to the numerical experiments by calculating the nominal strength σn and maximum loads Pmax.

Improving the toughness of ultrahigh strength steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Koji

2002-01-01

The ideal structural steel combines high strength with high fracture toughness. This dissertation discusses the toughening mechanism of the Fe/Co/Ni/Cr/Mo/C steel, AerMet 100, which has the highest toughness/strength combination among all commercial ultrahigh strength steels. The possibility of improving the toughness of this steel was examined by considering several relevant factors. Chapter 1 reviews the mechanical properties of ultrahigh strength steels and the physical metallurgy of AerMet 100. It also describes the fracture mechanisms of steel, i.e. ductile microvoid coalescence, brittle transgranular cleavage, and intergranular separation. Chapter 2 examines the strength-toughness relationship for three heats of AerMet 100. A wide variation of toughness is obtained at the same strength level. The toughness varies despite the fact that all heat fracture in the ductile fracture mode. The difference originates from the inclusion content. Lower inclusion volume fraction and larger inclusion spacing gives rise to a greater void growth factor and subsequently a higher fracture toughness. The fracture toughness value, JIc, is proportional to the particle spacing of the large non-metallic inclusions. Chapter 3 examines the ductile-brittle transition of AerMet 100 and the effect of a higher austenitization temperature, using the Charpy V-notch test. The standard heat treatment condition of AerMet 100 shows a gradual ductile-brittle transition due to its fine effective grain size. Austenitization at higher temperature increases the prior austenite grain size and packet size, leading to a steeper transition at a higher temperature. Both transgranular cleavage and intergranular separation are observed in the brittle fracture mode. Chapter 4 examines the effect of inclusion content, prior austenite grain size, and the amount of austenite on the strength-toughness relationship. The highest toughness is achieved by low inclusion content, small prior austenite grain size

Study of Damage and Fracture Toughness Due to Influence of Creep and Fatigue of Commercially Pure Copper by Monotonic and Cyclic Indentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Sabita; Prakash, Raghu V.

2013-01-01

Fracture toughness is the ability of a component containing a flow to resist fracture. In the current study, the Ball indentation (BI) test technique, which is well acknowledged as an alternative approach to evaluate mechanical properties of materials due to its semi-nondestructive, fast, and high accurate qualities is used to estimate damage and the fracture toughness for copper samples subjected to varying levels of creep and fatigue. The indentation fracture toughness shows the degradation of Cu samples when they are subjected to different creep conditions. Axial fatigue cycling increases the strength at the mid-gauge section compared to other regions of the samples due to initial strain hardening. The advancement of indentation depth with indentation fatigue cycles experiences transient stage, i.e., jump in indentation depth has been observed, which may be an indication of failure and followed by a steady state with almost constant depth propagation with indentation cycles.

Fracture toughness and fractography of dental cements, lining, build-up, and filling materials.

PubMed

Mueller, H J

1990-06-01

The plane strain fracture toughness (K1c) at 23 degrees C and the fractography of zinc phosphate and zinc polycarboxylate cements, buffered glass ionomer liner, amalgam alloy admixed glass ionomer build-up material, and glass ionomer, microfilled and conventionally filled bis-GMA resin composite filling materials were analyzed by elastic-plastic short-rod and scanning electron microscopy methodologies. Results indicated that significant differences occurred in their K1c's from the lowest to the highest in the following groups of materials, (i) buffered glass ionomer, (ii) zinc phosphate, glass ionomer, zinc polycarboxylate, and alloy mixed glass ionomer, (iii) microfilled resin, and (iv) conventionally filled resin. All materials except the microfilled resin, which fractured via crack jumping, fractured via smooth crack advance. Filler debonding without any crack inhibiting process was related to materials with low K1c values. The incorporation of either buffering compounds or alloy particles into glass ionomer had no beneficial effect upon fracture toughness. This was in contrast to microfilled and conventionally filled resins where either crack blunting or crack pinning processes, respectively, were likely involved with their increased K1c's. For microfilled resin, distinct radial zones positioned around the chevron apex and characterized by plastically deformed deposited material were related to distinct crack jumps that occurred in the load versus displacement behavior. Finally, for the two remaining materials of zinc phosphate and polycarboxylate, particle cleavage and matrix debonding for the former and shear yielding for the latter occurred.

Effect of minor reactive metal additions on fracture toughness of iron: 12-percent nickel alloy at-196 deg and 25 deg C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witzke, W. R.; Stephens, J. R.

1976-01-01

The slow bend precracked Charpy fracture toughness and tensile behavior of arc-melted and hot-rolled Fe-12Ni alloys containing up to 4 atomic percent reactive metal additions were determined at -196 C and 25 C after water quenching from three annealing temperatures. The fracture toughness of Fe-12Ni at -196 C was improved by small amounts of Al, Ce, Hf, La, Nb, Ta, Ti, V, Y, and Zr, but not by Si. Cryogenic toughness was improved up to 7.5 times that of binary Fe-12Ni and varied with the reactive metal, its concentration, and the annealing temperature.

Measure of microhardness, fracture toughness and flexural strength of N-vinylcaprolactam (NVC)-containing glass-ionomer dental cements.

PubMed

Moshaverinia, Alireza; Brantley, William A; Chee, Winston W L; Rohpour, Nima; Ansari, Sahar; Zheng, Fengyuan; Heshmati, Reza H; Darr, Jawwad A; Schricker, Scott R; Rehman, Ihtesham U

2010-12-01

To investigate the effects of N-vinylcaprolactam (NVC)-containing terpolymers on the fracture toughness, microhardness, and flexural strength of conventional glass-ionomer cements (GIC). The terpolymer of acrylic acid (AA)-itaconic acid (IA)-N-vinylcaprolactam (NVC) with 8:1:1 (AA:IA:NVC) molar ratio was synthesized by free radical polymerization and characterized using (1)H NMR and FTIR. Experimental GIC samples were made from a 50% solution of the synthesized terpolymer with Fuji IX powder in a 3.6:1 P/L ratio. Specimens were mixed and fabricated at room temperature. Plane strain fracture toughness (K(Ic)) was measured in accordance with ASTM Standard 399-05. Vickers hardness was determined using a microhardness tester. Flexural strength was measured using samples with dimensions of 2 mm×2 mm×20 mm. For all mechanical property tests, specimens were first conditioned in distilled water at 37°C for 1 day or 1 week. Fracture toughness and flexural strength tests were conducted on a screw-driven universal testing machine using a crosshead speed of 0.5mm/min. Values of mechanical properties for the experimental GIC were compared with the control group (Fuji IX GIC), using one-way ANOVA and the Tukey multiple range test at α=0.05. The NVC-modified GIC exhibited significantly higher fracture toughness compared to the commercially available Fuji IX GIC, along with higher mean values of flexural strength and Vickers hardness, which were not significantly different. It was concluded that NVC-containing polymers are capable of enhancing clinically relevant properties for GICs. This new modified glass-ionomer is a promising restorative dental material. Copyright © 2010 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cryogenic Fracture Toughness Improvement for the Super Lightweight Tank's Main Structural Alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, P. S.; Stanton, W. P.

2002-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed a two-step (TS) artificial aging technique that can significantly enhance cryogenic fracture toughness and resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in aluminum-copper-lithium alloy 2195. The new TS aging treatment consists of exposures at 132 C (270 F)/20 hr + 138 C (280 F)/42 hr, which can be readily applied to flight hardware production. TS aging achieves the same yield strength levels as conventional aging, while providing much improved ductility in the short transverse direction. After TS aging, five previously rejected lots of alloy 2195 (lots 950M029B, 960M030F, 960M030J, 960M030K, and 960M030L) passed simulated service testing for use in the super lightweight tank program. Each lot exhibited higher fracture toughness at cryogenic temperature than at ambient temperature. Their SCC resistance was also enhanced. All SCC specimens passed the minimum 10-day requirement in 3.5-percent sodium chloride alternate immersion at a stress of 45 ksi. The SCC lives ranged from 57 to 83 days, with an average of 70 days.

Impact resistance and interlaminar fracture toughness of through-the-thickness reinforced graphite/epoxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dexter, H. B.; Funk, J. G.

1986-01-01

Five through-the-thickness stitch configurations are analyzed to determine the effect of impact resistance and interlaminar fracture toughness on T3000/3501-6 graphite/epoxy. The test specimens were stitched with either polyester or Kevlar yarns and with various stitch parameters. Tension and compression mechanical, impact and compression-after-impact, and double cantilever beam tests were conducted. It is observed that the stitched laminates have tension and compression strengths 20-25 percent lower than the strengths of unstitched laminates, the tension strength of stitched laminates is reduced with increasing number of stitches, and the compression strength increases as the number of stitches are increased. The impact data reveal that the Kevlar stitched laminates have less damage than unstitched laminates; the most effective configuration for suppressing impact damage and improving interlaminar fracture toughness consists of Kevlar yarns 1/4 inch apart with eight stitches per inch. The mode 1 critical strain energy release rate for the 1/4 inch Kevlar eight stitch laminate was calculated as 30 times higher than that of the unstitched.

Spatial distribution of the human enamel fracture toughness with aging.

PubMed

Zheng, Qinghua; Xu, Haiping; Song, Fan; Zhang, Lan; Zhou, Xuedong; Shao, Yingfeng; Huang, Dingming

2013-10-01

A better understanding of the fracture toughness (KIC) of human enamel and the changes induced by aging is important for the clinical treatment of teeth cracks and fractures. We conducted microindentation tests and chemical content measurements on molar teeth from "young" (18 ≤ age ≤ 25) and "old" (55 ≤ age) patients. The KIC and the mineral contents (calcium and phosphorus) in the outer, the middle, and the inner enamel layers within the cuspal and the intercuspal regions of the crown were measured through the Vickers toughness test and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The elastic modulus used for the KIC calculation was measured through atomic force microscope (AFM)-based nanoindentation tests. In the outer enamel layer, two direction-specific values of the KIC were calculated separately (direction I, crack running parallel to the occlusal surface; direction II, perpendicular to direction I). The mean KIC of the outer enamel layer was lower than that of the internal layers (p<0.05). No other region-related differences in the mechanical properties were found in both groups. In the outer enamel layer, old enamel has a lower KIC, II and higher mineral contents than young enamel (p<0.05). The enamel surface becomes more prone to cracks with aging partly due to the reduction in the interprismatic organic matrix observed with the maturation of enamel. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calculation for tensile strength and fracture toughness of granite with three kinds of grain sizes using three-point-bending test

PubMed Central

Yu, Miao; Wei, Chenhui; Niu, Leilei; Li, Shaohua; Yu, Yongjun

2018-01-01

Tensile strength and fracture toughness, important parameters of the rock for engineering applications are difficult to measure. Thus this paper selected three kinds of granite samples (grain sizes = 1.01mm, 2.12mm and 3mm), used the combined experiments of physical and numerical simulation (RFPA-DIP version) to conduct three-point-bending (3-p-b) tests with different notches and introduced the acoustic emission monitor system to analyze the fracture mechanism around the notch tips. To study the effects of grain size on the tensile strength and toughness of rock samples, a modified fracture model was established linking fictitious crack to the grain size so that the microstructure of the specimens and fictitious crack growth can be considered together. The fractal method was introduced to represent microstructure of three kinds of granites and used to determine the length of fictitious crack. It is a simple and novel method to calculate the tensile strength and fracture toughness directly. Finally, the theoretical model was verified by the comparison to the numerical experiments by calculating the nominal strength σn and maximum loads Pmax. PMID:29596422

The effect of aging treatment on the fracture toughness and impact strength of injection molded Ni-625 superalloy parts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Özgün, Özgür, E-mail: oozgun@bingol.edu.tr; Yılmaz, Ramazan; Özkan Gülsoy, H.

In this study, the effect of aging heat treatment on fracture toughness and impact strength of Ni-625 superalloy fabricated by using powder injection molding (PIM) method was examined. After a feedstock was prepared by mixing the prealloyed Ni-625 superalloy powder, which was fabricated by gas atomisation, with a polymeric binder system and then it was granulated, it was shaped through the use of injection. The molded specimens were sintered at 1300 °C for 3 h after a two-stage debinding process. Once the sintered specimens were treated in the solution at 1150 °C for 2 h, they were quenched. Aging treatmentmore » was performed by keeping specimens at 745 °C for 22 h. Fracture toughness and impact tests were performed on sintered and aged specimens. Microstructure examinations were performed by using optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. The results revealed that aging heat treatment led to the formation of some carbides and intermetallic phases in the microstructure. While the hardness of the aged specimens increased due to these phases, their fracture toughness and impact strength values decreased. - Highlights: • Ni-625 superalloy components were produced by means of powder injection molding. • The produced components were subjected to aging treatment. • Aging process provided approximately 50% increase in the hardness of components. • Intermetallic precipitates, carbides and TCP phases occurred within the aged parts. • Fracture toughness and impact strength values decreased due to the hard phases.« less

Double Cantilever Beam Fracture Toughness Testing of Several Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, Jeff A.; Adams, Donald F.

1992-01-01

Double-cantilever beam fracture toughness tests were performed by the Composite Materials Research Group on several different unidirectional composite materials provided by NASA Langley Research Center. The composite materials consisted of Hercules IM-7 carbon fiber and various matrix resin formulations. Multiple formulations of four different families of matrix resins were tested: LaRC - ITPI, LaRC - IA, RPT46T, and RP67/RP55. Report presents the materials tested and pertinent details supplied by NASA. For each material, three replicate specimens were tested. Multiple crack extensions were performed on each replicate.

Effect of microstructural anisotropy on fracture toughness of hot rolled 13Cr ODS steel - The role of primary and secondary cracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, A.; Viehrig, H. W.; Bergner, F.; Heintze, C.; Altstadt, E.; Hoffmann, J.

2017-08-01

ODS steels have been known to exhibit anisotropic fracture behaviour and form secondary cracks. In this work, the factors responsible for the anisotropic fracture behaviour have been investigated using scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter microscopy. Fracture toughness of hot rolled 13Cr ODS steel was determined using unloading compliance method for L-T and T-L orientations at various temperatures. L-T orientation had higher fracture toughness than T-L orientation and also contained more pronounced secondary cracking. Secondary cracks appeared at lower loads than primary cracks in both orientations. Primary crack propagation was found to be preferentially through fine grains in a bimodal microstructure. Grains were aligned and elongated the most towards rolling direction followed by T and S directions resulting in fracture anisotropy. Crystallographic texture and preferential alignment of Ti enriched particles parallel to rolling direction also contributed towards fracture anisotropy.

Toughness-Dominated Regime of Hydraulic Fracturing in Cohesionless Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Germanovich, L. N.; Hurt, R. S.; Ayoub, J.; Norman, W. D.

2011-12-01

experiments, there is a high pressure gradient in the leak-off zone in the direction normal to the fracture. Fluid pressure does not decrease considerably along the fracture, however, due to the relatively wide fracture aperture. This suggests that hydraulically induced fractures in unconsolidated materials may be considered to be within the toughness-dominated regime of hydraulic fracturing. Our results indicate that the primary influence on peak or initiation pressure comes from the remote stresses. However, fracture morphology changes significantly with other chosen parameters (stress, flow rate, rheology and permeability). Additionally, an important characteristic feature of fractures in our experiments is the frequent bluntness of the fracture tip, which suggests that plastic deformation at the fracture tip is important. Modeling shows that large openings at the fracture tip correspond to relatively large 'effective' fracture (surface) energy, which can be orders of magnitude greater than for typical (solid) rocks.

A review on mode-I interlaminar fracture toughness of fibre reinforced composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasuha, N.; Azmi, A. I.; Tan, C. L.

2017-10-01

Composite material has been growing rapidly throughout the year for its unique properties in comparisons with metal. Recently, there has been a growth on studying the way to reduce the delamination failure, which is the primary challenge on laminated fibre composite. This failure can degrade the strength of composite materials, hence loses its function. In this review, database search was performed using the keywords search on “interlaminar fracture toughness”, “double cantilever beam”, “delamination resistance” and “Mode-I GIC”. The searches were performed on Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science with further cross-referencing with other databases. Most relevant studies were selected for review and referencing by the author. This review paper gives a brief explanation on Mode-I interlaminar fracture toughness of composite material. This fracture mode is the most common modes on studying the delamination failure.

Effects of dietary fracture toughness and dental wear on chewing efficiency in geladas (Theropithecus gelada).

PubMed

Venkataraman, Vivek V; Glowacka, Halszka; Fritz, Julia; Clauss, Marcus; Seyoum, Chalachew; Nguyen, Nga; Fashing, Peter J

2014-09-01

Chewing efficiency has been associated with fitness in mammals, yet little is known about the behavioral, ecological, and morphological factors that influence chewing efficiency in wild animals. Although research has established that dental wear and food material properties independently affect chewing efficiency, few studies have addressed the interaction among these factors. We examined chewing efficiency, measured as mean fecal particle size, as a function of seasonal shifts in diet (and corresponding changes in food fracture toughness) in a single breeding population of a grazing primate, the gelada monkey, at Guassa, Ethiopia. We also measured dental topographic traits (slope, angularity, and relief index) and relative two- and three-dimensional shearing crest lengths in a cross-sectional wear series of gelada molars. Chewing efficiency decreased during the dry season, a pattern corresponding to the consumption of foods with higher fracture toughness. Older individuals experienced the most pronounced decreases in chewing efficiency between seasons, implicating dental wear as a causal factor. This pattern is consistent with our finding that dental topographic metrics and three-dimensional relative shearing crest lengths were lowest at the last stage of wear. Integrating these lines of behavioral, ecological, and morphological evidence provides some of the first empirical support for the hypothesis that food fracture toughness and dental wear together contribute to chewing efficiency. Geladas have the highest chewing efficiencies measured thus far in primates, and may be analogous to equids in their emphasis on dental design as a means of particle size reduction in the absence of highly specialized digestive physiology. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thermal annealing recovery of fracture toughness in HT9 steel after irradation to high doses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Byun, Thak Sang; Baek, Jong-Hyuk; Anderoglu, Osman

2013-08-03

The HT9 ferritic/martensitic steel with a nominal chemistry of Fe(bal.)–12%Cr–1%MoVW has been used as a primary core material for fast fission reactors such as FFTF because of its high resistance to radiationinduced swelling and embrittlement. Both static and dynamic fracture test results have shown that the HT9 steel can become brittle when it is exposed to high dose irradiation at a relatively low temperature 430 °C). This article aims at a comprehensive discussion on the thermal annealing recovery of fracture toughness in the HT9 steel after irradiation up to 3–148 dpa at 378–504 °C. A specimen reuse technique has beenmore » established and applied to this study: the fracture specimens were tested Charpy specimens or broken halves of Charpy bars (13 3 4 mm). The post-anneal fracture test results indicated that much of the radiation-induced damage can be recovered by a simple thermal annealing schedule: the fracture toughness was incompletely recovered by 550 °C annealing, while nearly complete or complete recovery occurred after 650 °C annealing. This indicates that thermal annealing is a feasible damage mitigation technique for the reactor components made of HT9 steel. The partial recovery is probably due to the non-removable microstructural damages such as void or gas bubble formation, elemental segregation and precipitation.« less

The influence of Y-TZP surface treatment on topography and ceramic/resin cement interfacial fracture toughness.

PubMed

Paes, P N G; Bastian, F L; Jardim, P M

2017-09-01

Consider the efficacy of glass infiltration etching (SIE) treatment as a procedure to modify the zirconia surface resulting in higher interfacial fracture toughness. Y-TZP was subjected to 5 different surface treatments conditions consisting of no treatment (G1), SIE followed by hydrofluoric acid treatment (G2), heat treated at 750°C (G3), hydrofluoric acid treated (G4) and airborne-particle abrasion with alumina particles (G5). The effect of surface treatment on roughness was evaluated by Atomic Force Microscopy providing three different parameters: R a , R sk and surface area variation. The ceramic/resin cement interface was analyzed by Fracture Mechanics K I test with failure mode determined by fractographic analysis. Weibull's analysis was also performed to evaluate the structural integrity of the adhesion zone. G2 and G4 specimens showed very similar, and high R a values but different surface area variation (33% for G2 and 13% for G4) and they presented the highest fracture toughness (K IC ). Weibull's analysis showed G2 (SIE) tendency to exhibit higher K IC values than the other groups but with more data scatter and a higher early failure probability than G4 specimens. Selective glass infiltration etching surface treatment was effective in modifying the zirconia surface roughness, increasing the bonding area and hence the mechanical imbrications at the zirconia/resin cement interface resulting in higher fracture toughness (K IC ) values with higher K IC values obtained when failure probability above 20% was expected (Weibull's distribution) among all the experimental groups. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of microstructure and strength on the fracture toughness of an 18 Ni, 300 grade maraging steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Psioda, J. A.; Low, J. R., Jr.

1975-01-01

A 300 grade maraging steel was chosen as a vehicle by which to understand the inverse relationship between strength and toughness in high strength alloys such as the 18 Ni maraging steels. The 18 Ni, 300 grade maraging material was a commercial grade consumable-electrode, vacuum arc remelted heat obtained in the form of forged and annealed plate. The matrix contained a population of second-phase impurity inclusions which was a product of the casting and hot working processes. These inclusions did not change with subsequent precipitation hardening. Changes in microstructure resulting in strength increases were brought about by variations in aging temperature and time. Maximum strength was attained in the 300 grade maraging steel by aging at 427 C (800 F) for 100 hours. Tensile, fatigue precracked Charpy impact, and plane-strain fracture toughness tests were performed at room temperature, 20 C (68 F). With increasing strength the fracture toughness decreases as smaller and smaller inclusions act as sites for void initiation.

Effect of specimen thickness of fatigue-crack-growth behavior and fracture toughness of 7075-T6 and 7178-T6 aluminum alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, C. M.; Newman, J. C., Jr.

1973-01-01

A study was made to determine the effects of specimen thickness on fatigue crack growth and fracture behavior of 7075-T6 and 7178-T6 aluminum alloy sheet and plate. Specimen thicknesses ranged from 5.1 to 12.7 mm (0.20 to 0.50 in.) for 7075-T6 and from 1.3 to 6.4 mm (0.05 to 0.25 in.) for 7178-T6. The stress ratios R used in the crack growth experiments were 0.02 and 0.50. For 7075-T6, specimen thickness had relatively little effect on fatigue-crack growth. However, the fracture toughness of the thickness of the thickest gage of 7075-T6 was about two-thirds of the fracture toughness of the thinner gages of 7075-T6. For 7178-T6, fatigue cracks generally grew somewhat faster in the thicker gages than in the thinnest gage. The fracture toughness of the thickest gage of 7178-T6 was about two-thirds of the fracture toughness of the thinner gages of 7178-T6. Stress intensity methods were used to analyze the experimental results. For a given thickness and value of R, the rate of fatigue crack growth was essentially a single-valued function of the stress intensity range for 7075-T6 and 7178-T6. An empirical equation developed by Forman, Kearney, and Engle fit the 7075-T6 and 7178-T6 crack growth data reasonably well.

Effects of Core-Shell Rubber (CSR) Nanoparticles on the Cryogenic Fracture Toughness of CSR Modified Epoxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Jun; Magee, Daniel; Schneider, Judy; Cannon, Seth

2009-01-01

This study investigated the effects of core-shell rubber (CSR) nanoparticles on the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of an epoxy resin at ambient and liquid nitrogen (LN2) temperatures. Varying amounts of Kane Ace(Registered TradeMark) MX130 and Kane Ace(Registered TradeMark) MX960 toughening agent were added to a commercially available EPON 862/Epikure W epoxy resin. Elastic modulus was calculated using quasi-static tensile data. Fracture toughness was evaluated by the resulting breaking energy measured in Charpy impact tests conducted on an instrumented drop tower. The size and distribution of the CSR nanoparticles were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to study the fracture surface morphology. The addition of the CSR nanoparticles increased the breaking energy with negligible change in elastic modulus and ultimate tensile stress (UTS). At ambient temperature the breaking energy increased with increasing additions of the CSR nanoparticles up to 13.8wt%, while at LN2 temperatures, it reached a plateau at much lower CSR concentration.

The effect of microstructure and strength on the fracture toughness of an 18 ni, 300 grade maraging steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Psioda, J. A.; Low, J. R., Jr.

1974-01-01

Methods for increasing the strength of maraging steels are discussed. An investigation was conducted to systematically vary the strength of 18 weight percent nickel, 300 grade maraging steel, to isolate any attending microstructural changes, and to study the effects of these changes on the fracture toughness of the alloy. A study aimed at determining the aging behavior of the program alloy was carried out to provide data by which to estimate yield strength. The effects of various alloying materials on the strength of the maraging steel are examined. The mechanical properties of the 300 grade maraging steel were determined by tension tests, fatigue precracked Charpy impact tests, and plane strain fracture toughness tests.

Fundamental aspects in the quantitative ultrasonic determination of fracture toughness: General equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, L. S.

1981-01-01

The problem of establishing a theoretical groundwork for experimentally-found correlations between ultrasonic and fracture toughness factors in polycrystalline metals is discussed. It is noted that the link between these material properties and ultrasonic factors are the microstructural parameters that interact with stress wave propagation during deformation and fracture. The dynamic response of material inhomogeneities and the strains and displacements they undergo under incident stress waves are considered. Dynamic strains and displacements inside and outside scatterers are treated. The underlying approach, the formulation and governing equations for the eigenstrains, and the determination of the energy due to the presence of inhomogeneities are presented. The stress wave interaction problem is presented in terms of the dynamic eigenstrain concept.

The Metallurgy of High Fracture Toughness Aluminum-Based Plate Products for Aircraft Internal Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boselli, J.; Bray, G.; Rioja, R. J.; Mooy, D.; Venema, G.; Feyen, G.; Wang, W.

A significant volume of "thick" aluminum plate products is used in the manufacture of an aircraft's internal structure in applications such as ribs, spars, frames, bulkheads, etc. With the recent launch of more fuel efficient and primarily metallic single aisle aircraft as well as the introduction of composite-intensive twin-aisle aircraft, a number of opportunities exist for upgrading alloys developed more than 30 years ago with a new generation of thick plate products. These include 7xxx aluminum alloys that show significant improvements in both strength and toughness along with Al-Li alloys that show high strength, low density and very high corrosion resistance with significantly improved toughness over previous generation Al-Li. This paper will review these improvements and provide insights into the metallurgy behind better fracture toughness, particularly in the short transverse direction, by considering the impact of composition and processing on quench sensitivity.

Tough poly(arylene ether) thermoplastics as modifiers for bismaleimides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stenzenberger, H. D.; Roemer, W.; Hergenrother, P. M.; Jensen, B. J.

1989-01-01

Several aspects of research on thermoplastics as toughness modifiers are discussed, including the contribution of the backbone chemistry and the concentration of the poly(arylene ether) thermoplastic to fracture toughness, influence of the molecular weight of the poly(arylene ether) thermoplastic on neat resin fracture toughness, and the morphology of the thermoplastic modified networks. The results show that fracture toughness of brittle bismaleimide resins can be improved significantly with poly(arylene ether) thermoplastic levels of 20 percent by weight, and that high molecular weight poly(arylene ether) based on bisphenol A provides the highest degree of toughening. Preliminary composite evaluation shows that improvements in neat resin toughness translate into carbon fabric composite.

Fracture toughness and sliding properties of magnetron sputtered CrBC and CrBCN coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qianzhi; Zhou, Fei; Ma, Qiang; Callisti, Mauro; Polcar, Tomas; Yan, Jiwang

2018-06-01

CrBC and CrBCN coatings with low and high B contents were deposited on 316L steel and Si wafers using an unbalanced magnetron sputtering system. Mechanical properties including hardness (H), elastic modulus (E) and fracture toughness (KIc) as well as residual stresses (σ) were quantified. A clear correlation between structural, mechanical and tribological properties of coatings was found. In particular, structural analyses indicated that N incorporation in CrBC coatings with high B content caused a significant structural evolution of the nanocomposite structure (crystalline grains embedded into an amorphous matrix) from nc-CrB2/(a-CrBx, a-BCx) to nc-CrN/(a-BCx, a-BN). As a result, the hardness of CrBC coating with high B content decreased from 23.4 to 16.3 GPa but the fracture toughness was enhanced. Consequently, less cracks initiated on CrBCN coatings during tribological tests, which combined with the shielding effect of a-BN on wear debris, led to a low friction coefficient and wear rate.

Ultrasonic ranking of toughness of tungsten carbide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.; Hull, D. R.

1983-01-01

The feasibility of using ultrasonic attenuation measurements to rank tungsten carbide alloys according to their fracture toughness was demonstrated. Six samples of cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) were examined. These varied in cobalt content from approximately 2 to 16 weight percent. The toughness generally increased with increasing cobalt content. Toughness was first determined by the Palmqvist and short rod fracture toughness tests. Subsequently, ultrasonic attenuation measurements were correlated with both these mechanical test methods. It is shown that there is a strong increase in ultrasonic attenuation corresponding to increased toughness of the WC-Co alloys. A correlation between attenuation and toughness exists for a wide range of ultrasonic frequencies. However, the best correlation for the WC-Co alloys occurs when the attenuation coefficient measured in the vicinity of 100 megahertz is compared with toughness as determined by the Palmqvist technique.

J-integral fracture toughness and tearing modulus measurement of radiation cross-linked UHMWPE.

PubMed

Gomoll, A; Wanich, T; Bellare, A

2002-11-01

Radiation and chemical cross-linking of medical grade ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has recently been utilized in an effort to improve wear performance of total joint replacement components. However, reductions in mechanical properties with cross-linking are cause for concern regarding the use of cross-linked UHMWPE for high-stress applications such as in total knee replacement prostheses. In this study, the fracture behavior of radiation cross-linked UHMWPE was compared to that of uncross-linked UHMWPE. The Rice and Sorensen model that utilizes mechanical parameters obtained from uniaxial tensile and compact tension tests was used to calculate the steady state J-integral fracture toughness, Jss, for radiation cross-linked UHMWPE. Jss decreased monotonically with increase in radiation dose. UHMWPE exhibited tough, ductile tearing behavior with stable crack growth when it was cross-linked using a gamma radiation dose of 0-50 kGy. However, in cross-linked UHMWPE irradiated to a dose of 100 and 200 kGy, unstable fracture occurred spontaneously upon attaining the initial crack driving force, J1c. This indicates that a high degree of cross-linking is less desirable for high-stress applications in orthopaedic implants. However, a substantial increase in J1c, even at a low degree of cross-linking, suggests that a low degree of cross-linking may be beneficial for resistance to delamination and catastrophic failure, both of which require an initiation step for the fracture to propagate in the material. This mechanical test should, however, be considered along with fatigue tests and joint simulator testing before determination of an appropriate amount of cross-linking for total joint replacement prostheses that experience high stresses.

The effects of artificial aging on the microstructure and fracture toughness of Al-Cu-Li alloy 2195

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, P. S.; Kuruvilla, A. K.; Malone, T. W.; Stanton, W. P.

1998-10-01

Aluminum-lithium alloys have shown promise for aerospace applications, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected the aluminum-lithium Alloy 2195 for the main structural alloy of the super light weight tank (SLWT) for the space shuttle. This alloy has significantly higher strength than conventional 2xxx alloys (such as 2219) at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures. If properly processed and heat treated, this alloy can display higher fracture toughness at cryogenic temperature than at ambient temperature. However, the properties of production materials have shown greater variation than those of other established alloys, as is the case with any new alloy that is being transitioned to a demanding application. Recently, some commercial 2195 plates for the SLWT program were rejected, mostly due to low CFT or FTR at ambient and cryogenic temperatures. Investigation of the microstructure property relationships of Al-Cu-Li based alloys indicates that the poor fracture toughness properties can be attributed to excessive T1 precipitation at subgrain boundaries. Lowering the aging temperature is one way to avoid excessive T1 precipitation at subgrain boundaries. However, this approach results in a significant drop in yield strength. In addition, low-temperature aging is associated with sluggish aging kinetics, which are not desirable for industrial mass production. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to develop an aging process that can improve fracture toughness without sacrificing yield and tensile strength. A multistep heating-rate controlled (MSRC) aging treatment has been developed that can improve the cryogenic fracture toughness of aluminum-lithium Alloy 2195. At the same levels of yield strength (YS), this treatment results in considerably higher fracture toughness than that found in Alloy 2195, which has received conventional (isothermal) aging. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the new treatment greatly reduces the

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Hydrogen on Fracture Toughness of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25V Steel and Welds after Annealing

PubMed Central

Song, Yan; Chai, Mengyu; Wu, Weijie; Liu, Yilun; Qin, Mu; Cheng, Guangxu

2018-01-01

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is a critical issue that hinders the reliability of hydrogenation reactors. Hence, it is of great significance to investigate the effect of hydrogen on fracture toughness of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25V steel and weld. In this work, the fracture behavior of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25V steel and welds was studied by three-point bending tests under hydrogen-free and hydrogen-charged conditions. The immersion charging method was employed to pre-charge hydrogen inside specimen and the fracture toughness of these joints was evaluated quantitatively. The microstructure and grain size of the specimens were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by metallurgical microscopy to investigate the HE mechanisms. It was found that fracture toughness for both the base metal (BM) and the weld zone (WZ) significantly decreased under hydrogen-charged conditions due to the coexistence of the hydrogen-enhanced decohesion (HEDE) and hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity (HELP) mechanisms. Moreover, the formation and growth of primary voids were observed in the BM, leading to a superior fracture toughness. In addition, the BM compared to the WZ shows superior resistance to HE because the finer grain size in the BM leads to a larger grain boundary area, thus distributing more of the diffusive hydrogen trapped in the grain boundary and reducing the hydrogen content. PMID:29584678

A review of the effect of a/W ratio on fracture toughness (I) —Experimental investigation in EPFM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qing-Fen; Zheng, Wei; Shu, Hai-Sheng

2005-03-01

Many experimental investigations have previously been performed and recently done on different shipbuilding structural steels where the specimens size and crack depth/specimen width ( a/W) were varied. A series of interesting results have been gained. It is worthwhile to have a review on the effect of a/W ratio on fracture toughness, and further theoretical analysis is necessary. In this paper, experimental work in elasticplastic fracture mechanics (EPFM) was discussed. Tests had been carried out on 10 kinds of strength steels. Results showed that J i and δ1 values increased with decreasing a/W when a/W<0.3 for three-point bend specimens and that shallow crack specimens which have less constrained flow field give markedly higher values of toughness than deeply notched specimens. However, for a/W>0.3, the toughness was found to be independent of a/W. Slip line field analysis shows that for shallow cracks, the hydrostatic stress is lower than that from standard deeply cracked bend specimen which develops a high level of crack tip constraint, provides a lower bound estimate of toughness, and will ensure an unduly conservative approach when applied to structure defects especially if initiation values of COD/ J-integral are used.

Mode-I Fracture Toughness Testing and Coupled Cohesive Zone Modeling at In Situ P, T, and Chemical (H2O-CO2-NaCl) Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewers, T. A.; Choens, R. C., II; Regueiro, R. A.; Eichhubl, P.; Bryan, C. R.; Rinehart, A. J.; Su, J. C.; Heath, J. E.

2017-12-01

Propagation of mode I cracks is fundamental to subsurface engineering endeavors, but the majority of fracture toughness measurements are performed at ambient conditions. A novel testing apparatus was used to quantify the relationship between supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), water vapor, and fracture toughness in analogs for reservoir rock and caprock lithologies at temperature and pressure conditions relevant to geologic carbon storage. Samples of Boise Sandstone and Marcellus Shale were subject to fracture propagation via a novel short rod fracture toughness tester composed of titanium and Hastelloy® and designed to fit inside a pressure vessel. The tester is controlled by a hydraulically-driven ram and instrumented with a LVDT to monitor displacement. We measure fracture toughness under conditions of dry supercritical CO2 (scCO2), scCO2-saturated brine, and scCO2 with varying water content ( 25%, 90%, and 100% humidity) at 13.8 MPa and 70oC. Water film development as a function of humidity is determined in situ during the experiments with a quartz crystal microbalance. Two orientations of the Marcellus are included in the testing matrix. Dry CO2 has a negligible to slightly strengthening effect compared to a control, however hydrous scCO2 can decrease the fracture toughness, and the effect increases with increasing humidity, which likely is due to capillary condensation of reactive water films at nascent crack tips and associated subcritical weakening. A 2D poromechanical finite element model with cohesive surface elements (CSEs) and a chemo-plasticity phenomenology is being used to describe the chemical weakening/softening effects observed in the testing. The reductions in fracture toughness seen in this study could be important in considerations of borehole stability, in situ stress measurements, changes in fracture gradient, and reservoir caprock integrity during CO2 injection and storage. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed

Effects of Core-Shell Rubber (CSR) Nanoparticles on the Fracture Toughness of an Epoxy Resin at Cryogenic Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, J.; Cannon, S. A.; Schneider, J. A.

2008-01-01

This study investigates the effects of core-shell rubber (CSR) nanoparticles on the fracture toughness of an epoxy resin at liquid nitrogen (LN2) temperatures. Varying amounts of Kane Ace (Registered TradeMark) MX130 toughening agent were added to a commercially available EPON 862/W epoxy resin. Resulting fracture toughness was evaluated by the use of Charpy impact tests conducted on an instrumented drop tower. The size and distribution of the CSR nanoparticles were characterized using Transmission Electric Microscopy (TEM) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). Up to nominal 4.6% addition of the CSR nanoparticles, resulted in a nearly 5 times increase in the measured breaking energy. However, further increases in the amount of CSR nanoparticles had no appreciable affect on the breaking energy.

Enhancements to the TOUGH2 Simulator as Implemented in iTOUGH2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finsterle, Stefan

iTOUGH2 is a program for parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty propagation analysis. It is based on the TOUGH2 simulator for non-isothermal multiphase, multicomponent flow and transport in fractured and porous media [Pruess, 1987, 1991, 2005, 2011; Falta et al., 1995; Pruess et al., 1999, 2002, 2012; Doughty, 2013]. The core of iTOUGH2 contains slightly modified versions of TOUGH2 modules. Most code modifications are editorial and do not affect the simulation results. As a result, standard TOUGH2 input files can be used in iTOUGH2, and identical results are obtained if iTOUGH2 is run in forward mode. However, a number ofmore » modifications have been made as described in this report. They enhance the functionality, flexibilitu, and eas-of-use of the forward simulator. This report complements the reports iTOUGH2 User's Guide, iTOUGH2 Command Referecne, and the collection of tutorial examples in iTOUGH2 Sample Problems.« less

Fracture Toughness of Z3CN20.09M Cast Stainless Steel with Long-Term Thermal Aging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Weiwei; Yu, Dunji; Gao, Hongbo; Xue, Fei; Chen, Xu

2017-09-01

Accelerated thermal aging tests were performed at 400 °C for nearly 18,000 h on Z3CN20.09M cast stainless steel which was used for primary coolant pipes of nuclear power plants. A series of Charpy impact tests were conducted on Z3CN20.09M after different long-term thermal aging time. The test results indicated that the Charpy impact energy of Z3CN20.09M cast stainless steel decreased rapidly at an early stage and then almost saturated after thermal aging of 10,000 h. Furthermore, J-resistance curves were measured for CT specimens of longitudinal and circumferential pipe orientations. It showed that there was no obvious difference in the fracture characteristics of Z3CN20.09M in different sampling directions. In addition, the observed stretch zone width (SZW) revealed that the value of initiation fracture toughness J SZW was significantly lower than that of fracture toughness J IC, indicating a low actual crack initiation energy due to long-term thermal aging.

Imaging Inelastic Fracture Processes in Biomimetic Nanocomposites and Nacre by Laser Speckle for Better Toughness.

PubMed

Verho, Tuukka; Karppinen, Pasi; Gröschel, André H; Ikkala, Olli

2018-01-01

Mollusk nacre is a prototypical biological inorganic-organic composite that combines high toughness, stiffness, and strength by its brick-and-mortar microstructure, which has inspired several synthetic mimics. Its remarkable fracture toughness relies on inelastic deformations at the process zone at the crack tip that dissolve stress concentrations and stop cracks. The micrometer-scale structure allows resolving the size and shape of the process zone to understand the fracture processes. However, for better scalability, nacre-mimetic nanocomposites with aligned inorganic or graphene nanosheets are extensively pursued, to avoid the packing problems of mesoscale sheets like in nacre or slow in situ biomineralization. This calls for novel methods to explore the process zone of biomimetic nanocomposites. Here the fracture of nacre and nacre-inspired clay/polymer nanocomposite is explored using laser speckle imaging that reveals the process zone even in absence of changes in optical scattering. To demonstrate the diagnostic value, compared to nacre, the nacre-inspired nanocomposite develops a process zone more abruptly with macroscopic crack deflection shown by a flattened process zone. In situ scanning electron microscopy suggests similar toughening mechanisms in nanocomposite and nacre. These new insights guide the design of nacre-inspired nanocomposites toward better mechanical properties to reach the level of synergy of their biological model.

75 FR 13 - Alternate Fracture Toughness Requirements for Protection Against Pressurized Thermal Shock Events

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-04

...The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to provide alternate fracture toughness requirements for protection against pressurized thermal shock (PTS) events for pressurized water reactor (PWR) pressure vessels. This final rule provides alternate PTS requirements based on updated analysis methods. This action is desirable because the existing requirements are based on unnecessarily conservative probabilistic fracture mechanics analyses. This action reduces regulatory burden for those PWR licensees who expect to exceed the existing requirements before the expiration of their licenses, while maintaining adequate safety, and may choose to comply with the final rule as an alternative to complying with the existing requirements.

Determination of fracture toughness of calcium phosphate coatings deposited onto Ti6Al4V substrate by using indentation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydin, Ibrahim; Cetinel, Hakan; Pasinli, Ahmet

2012-09-01

In this study, fracture toughness values of calcium phosphate (CaP) coatings deposited onto Ti6Al4V substrate were determined by using Vickers indentation method. In this new patent holding method, the activation processes were performed with NaOH and NaOH+H2O2 on the Ti6Al4V material surface. Thicknesses of CaP coatings were measured from cross-sections of the samples by using optical microscopy. Vickers indentation tests were performed by using microhardness tester. Young's modulus values of the coatings were determined by using ultra microhardness tester. As a result, fracture toughness (K1C) values of the CaP coatings produced by using two different activation processes, were calculated by using experimental study results. These were found to be 0.43 MPa m1/2 and 0.39 MPa m1/2, respectively. It was determined that the CaP coating on Ti6Al4V activated by NaOH+H2O2 had higher fracture toughness than the CaP coating on Ti6Al4V activated by NaOH.

Fracture toughness of the nickel-alumina laminates by digital image-correlation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mekky, Waleed

The purpose of this work is to implement the digital image correlation technique (DIC) in composite laminate fracture testing. The latter involves measuring the crack opening displacement (COD) during stable crack propagation and characterizing the strain development in a constrained nickel layer under applied loading. The major challenge to measure the COD of alternated metal/ceramic layers is the elastic-mismatch effect. This leads to oscillating COD measurement. Smoothing the result with built-in modules of commercial software leads to a loss of data accuracy. A least-squares fitting routine for the data output gave acceptable COD profiles. The behavior of a single Ni ligament sandwiched between two Al2O3 layers was determined for two Ni thicknesses (0.125 and 0.25mm). Modeling of the behavior via a modified Bridgman approach for rectangular cross section samples, proved limited as different mechanisms are operating. Nevertheless, the behavior is however captured to a point, but the model underestimates the results vis a vis experimental ones. The fracture-resistance curves for Nickel/Alumina laminates were developed experimentally and modeled via LEFM using the weight function approach and utilizing single-ligament-, and COD-, data. The crack-tip toughness was found to increase with Ni layer thickness due to crack-tip-shielding. The crack-initiation-toughness was estimated from the stress field and the crack-opening-displacement of the main crack.

An investigation of fracture toughness, fatigue-crack growth, sustained-load flaw growth, and impact properties of three pressure vessel steels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, C. M.; Newman, J. C., Jr.; Lewis, P. E.

1975-01-01

The elastic fracture toughness of the three steels is shown to not decrease significantly with decreasing temperature from room temperature to about 244 K (-20 F.). The elastic fracture toughness of the three steels increased with increasing specimen width and thickness. The fatigue-crack-growth data for all three steels fall into relatively narrow scatter bands on plots of rate against stress-intensity range. An equation is shown to predict the upper bounds of the scatter bands reasonably well. Charpy impact energies decreased with decreasing temperature in the nominal temperature range from room temperature to 244 K (-20 F). The nil-ductility temperatures of the steels are discussed.

Influence of nanoclay on interlaminar shear strength and fracture toughness of glass fiber reinforced nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senthil Kumar, M. S.; Chithirai Pon Selvan, M.; Sampath, P. S.; Raja, K.; Balasundaram, K.

2018-04-01

Multilayer glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates filled with nanoclay was manufactured with compression moulding machine. In the present work, five kinds of nanoclay (Cloisite 25A) loadings viz. 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% on weight basis of epoxy resin were employed to modify the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), critical energy release rate (GIc) and impact energy properties of GFRP laminates. Experimental results obtained from ILSS test on clay filled GFRP confirm that the superior strength was attained at low clay content of 155.10 MPa. Furthermore, the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness test conducted on DCB specimens revealed that the commanding improvement of GIc was obtained at 2 wt.% clay content level. On the other hand, both ILSS and fracture toughness was getting reduced at higher clay loadings. At last, the impact strength of the test samples was investigated by using Izod impact test apparatus and observed that the impact energy was increased by 44.39% for 2 wt.% and followed by 24.87% for 4 wt.% clay loadings.

A nondestructive method for estimation of the fracture toughness of CrMoV rotor steels based on ultrasonic nonlinearity.

PubMed

Jeong, Hyunjo; Nahm, Seung-Hoon; Jhang, Kyung-Young; Nam, Young-Hyun

2003-09-01

The objective of this paper is to develop a nondestructive method for estimating the fracture toughness (K(IC)) of CrMoV steels used as the rotor material of steam turbines in power plants. To achieve this objective, a number of CrMoV steel samples were heat-treated, and the fracture appearance transition temperature (FATT) was determined as a function of aging time. Nonlinear ultrasonics was employed as the theoretical basis to explain the harmonic generation in a damaged material, and the nonlinearity parameter of the second harmonic wave was the experimental measure used to be correlated to the fracture toughness of the rotor steel. The nondestructive procedure for estimating the K(IC) consists of two steps. First, the correlations between the nonlinearity parameter and the FATT are sought. The FATT values are then used to estimate K(IC) using the K(IC) versus excess temperature (i.e., T-FATT) correlation that is available in the literature for CrMoV rotor steel.

Strength, fracture toughness and microstructure of a selection of all-ceramic materials. Part I. Pressable and alumina glass-infiltrated ceramics.

PubMed

Guazzato, Massimiliano; Albakry, Mohammad; Ringer, Simon P; Swain, Michael V

2004-06-01

The present study, divided into two parts, aimed to compare the strength, fracture toughness and microstructure of a range of all-ceramic materials. In part I, three hot-pressed glass-ceramics (IPS-Empress, Empress 2 and a new experimental ceramic) and alumina glass-infiltrated ceramics (In-Ceram Alumina), processed by both slip casting and dry pressing, were compared. Tensile strength was appraised on 10 bar-shaped specimens (20 x 4 x 1.2 mm3) for each material with the three-point bending method; the fracture toughness was measured from 20 specimens (20 x 4 x 2 mm3), by using the indentation strength technique. Data were compared with ANOVA and the Sheffé post hoc test (p = 0.05). The volume fraction of each phase, the dimensions and shapes of the grains, porosity and the crack patterns were investigated using SEM. The average and standard deviation in strength (MPa) and fracture toughness (MPa m(1/2)) were: IPS-Empress 106(17)1, 1.2(0.14)1; Empress 2 306(29)2, 2.9(0.51)2, new experimental ceramic 303(49)2, 3.0(0.65)2, In-Ceram Alumina dry-pressed 440(50)2, 3.6(0.26)2, In-Ceram Alumina slip 594(52)3, 4.4(0.48)3. Values with the same superscript number showed no significant statistical difference. Microscopy revealed the relationship between the glass matrix and the crystalline phase and the characteristics of the latter were correlated to the strengthening and toughening mechanisms of these glass-ceramics. The mechanical properties and microstructure of core materials have been advocated as crucial to the clinical long-term performance of all-ceramic dental restorations. This investigation provides the clinician with data regarding strength, fracture toughness and microstructure of a broad range of current materials. Copyright 2003 Academy of Dental Materials

Evaluation of Orientation Dependence of Fracture Toughness and Fatigue Crack Propagation Behavior of As-Deposited ARCAM EBM Ti-6Al-4V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifi, Mohsen; Dahar, Matthew; Aman, Ron; Harrysson, Ola; Beuth, Jack; Lewandowski, John J.

2015-03-01

This preliminary work documents the effects of test orientation with respect to build and beam raster directions on the fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth behavior of as-deposited EBM Ti-6Al-4V. Although ASTM/ISO standards exist for determining the orientation dependence of various mechanical properties in both cast and wrought materials, these standards are evolving for materials produced via additive manufacturing (AM) techniques. The current work was conducted as part of a larger America Makes funded project to begin to examine the effects of process variables on the microstructure and fracture and fatigue behavior of AM Ti-6Al-4V. In the fatigue crack growth tests, the fatigue threshold, Paris law slope, and overload toughness were determined at different load ratios, R, whereas fatigue precracked samples were tested to determine the fracture toughness. The as-deposited material exhibited a fine-scale basket-weave microstructure throughout the build, and although fracture surface examination revealed the presence of unmelted powders, disbonded regions, and isolated porosity, the resulting mechanical properties were in the range of those reported for cast and wrought Ti-6Al-4V. Remote access and control of testing was also developed at Case Western Reserve University to improve efficiency of fatigue crack growth testing.

Fracture toughness of Ti-Al3Ti-Al-Al3Ti laminate composites under static and cyclic loading conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patselov, A. M.; Gladkovskii, S. V.; Lavrikov, R. D.; Kamantsev, I. S.

2015-10-01

The static and cyclic fracture toughnesses of a Ti-Al3Ti-Al-Al3Ti laminate composite material containing at most 15 vol % intermetallic compound are studied. Composite specimens are prepared by terminating reaction sintering of titanium and aluminum foils under pressure. The fracture of the titanium layers is quasi-cleavage during cyclic crack growth and is ductile during subsequent static loading.

A Proposal for the Maximum KIC for Use in ASME Code Flaw and Fracture Toughness Evaluations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirk, Mark; Stevens, Gary; Erickson, Marjorie A

2011-01-01

Nonmandatory Appendices A [1] and G [2] of Section XI of the ASME Code use the KIc curve (indexed to the material reference transition temperature, RTNDT) in reactor pressure vessel (RPV) flaw evaluations, and for the purpose of establishing RPV pressure-temperature (P-T) limits. Neither of these appendices places an upper-limit on the KIc value that may be used in these assessments. Over the years, it has often been suggested by some of the members of the ASME Section XI Code committees that are responsible for maintaining Appendices A and G that there is a practical upper limit of 200 ksimore » in (220 MPa m) [4]. This upper limit is not well recognized by all users of the ASME Code, is not explicitly documented within the Code itself, and the one source known to the authors where it is defended [4] relies on data that is either in error, or is less than 220 MPa m. However, as part of the NRC/industry pressurized thermal shock (PTS) re-evaluation effort, empirical models were developed that propose common temperature dependencies for all ferritic steels operating on the upper shelf. These models relate the fracture toughness properties in the transition regime to those on the upper shelf and, combined with data for a wide variety of RPV steels and welds on which they are based, suggest that the practical upper limit of 220 MPa m exceeds the upper shelf fracture toughness of most RPV steels by a considerable amount, especially for irradiated steels. In this paper, available models and data are used to propose upper bound limits of applicability on the KIc curve for use in ASME Code, Section XI, Nonmandatory Appendices A and G evaluations that are consistent with available data for RPV steels.« less

Tensile properties and translaminar fracture toughness of glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester resin composites aged in distilled and salt water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiman, Gozali, M. Hulaifi; Setyawan, Paryanto Dwi

2016-03-01

Glass fiber reinforced polymer has been widely used in chemical industry and transportation due to lightweight and cost effective manufacturing. However due to the ability to absorb water from the environment, the durability issue is of interest for up to days. This paper investigated the water uptake and the effect of absorbed water on the tensile properties and the translaminar fracture toughness of glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester composites (GFRP) aged in distilled and salt water up to 30 days at a temperature of 50°C. It has been shown that GFRP absorbed more water in distilled water than in salt water. In distilled water, the tensile strength of GFRP tends to decrease steeply at 7 days and then slightly recovered for further immersion time. In salt water, the tensile strength tends to decrease continually up to 30 days immersion. The translaminar fracture toughness of GFRP aged in both distilled and salt-water shows the similar behavior. The translaminar fracture toughness increases after 7 days immersion and then tends to decrease beyond that immersion time. In the existence of ionics content in salt water, it causes more detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of fiberglass/unsaturated polyester composites compared to that of distilled water.

Influence of Heat Treatment on Fracture Toughness and Wear Resistance of Nicral-Zro2 Multilayered Thermal Barrier Coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zibo; Wang, Guanghong

2018-04-01

The chemical composition and fracture toughness of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) before and after heat treatment were characterized, and the cracks around the interface between the coating and the substrate could be successfully eliminated and meanwhile the porosity of the coatings tended to reduce. The XRD analysis revealed the coatings were composed of non-transformable tetragonal t' phase of ZrO2 and γ -(Ni, Cr) with minor Ni3Al (γ') precipitates. Additionally, the relationship between the heat treatment and wear resistance was systematically studied. The results indicated that both the hardness and fracture toughness increased after quenching process. The oxidation wear became more prominent after heat treatment, which probably resulted from the better bonding strength of coatings. Dense and homogeneous microstructure introduced by vacuum oil-quenching improved stabilization of the weight gain during thermal cycle test.

Effect of Li level, artificial aging, and TiB2 reinforcement on the fracture toughness of Weldalite (tm) 049-type alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Plane strain fracture toughness (K sub IC) was evaluated for Weldalite (tm) 049 with and without TiB2 reinforcement. For the nonreinforced variant, changes in toughness were measured for various aging conditions and lithium levels. Toughness testing was carried out on fatigue precracked compact tension (CT) specimens at 24 C, as per ASTM standard E-399. Toughness was measured as a function of aging time at 160 C for the two Weldalite 049(1.3) heats. The composition of these heats differed only in that 0.03 wt pct. Ti was added to one as an additional grain refiner. Both heats showed a decrease in toughness with increasing aging time, although toughness values for one were significantly higher than for the other. This greater toughness may be due to a subtle change in the grain size resulting for the presence of Ti or, alternatively, to differences in texture or substructure formed during extrusion.

Improved fracture toughness corrosion-resistant bearing material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bamberger, E. N.; Nahm, A. H.

1986-01-01

A development program was performed to establish whether a corrosion-resistant bearing material, such as a 14Cr steel, could be modified to allow carburization, thereby providing the excellent fracture toughness characteristics feasible with this process. The alloy selected for investigation was AMS 5749. Several modifications were made including the addition of a small amount of nickel for austenite stabilization. While some promising results were achieved, the primary objective of an acceptable combination of case hardness and microstructure was not attained. Because the high chromium content presents a serious problem in achieving a viable carburizing cycle, a number of experimental steels having lower chromium contents (8 to 12%) were produced in laboratory quantities and evaluated. The results were basically the same as those initially obtained with the modified AMS 5749. Corrosion tests were performed on AMS 5749, AISI M50, and 52100 bearing steels as well as some of the lower chromium steels. These tests showed that a reduced chromium level (10 to 12%) provided essentially the same corrosion protection as the 14Cr steels.

Scaling effect on the fracture toughness of bone materials using MMTS criterion.

PubMed

Akbardoost, Javad; Amirafshari, Reza; Mohsenzade, Omid; Berto, Filippo

2018-05-21

The aim of this study is to present a stress based approach for investigating the effect of specimen size on the fracture toughness of bone materials. The proposed approach is a modified form of the classical fracture criterion called maximum tangential stress (MTS). The mechanical properties of bone are different in longitudinal and transverse directions and hence the tangential stress component in the proposed approach should be determined in the orthotropic media. Since only the singular terms of series expansions were obtained in the previous studies, the tangential stress is measured from finite element analysis. In this study, the critical distance is also assumed to be size dependent and a semi-empirical formulation is used for describing the size dependency of the critical distance. By comparing the results predicted by the proposed approach and those reported in the previous studies, it is shown that the proposed approach can predict the fracture resistance of cracked bone by taking into account the effect of specimen size. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding the Interdependencies Between Composition, Microstructure, and Continuum Variables and Their Influence on the Fracture Toughness of α/β-Processed Ti-6Al-4V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, P. C.; Koduri, S.; Dixit, V.; Fraser, H. L.

2018-03-01

The fracture toughness of a material depends upon the material's composition and microstructure, as well as other material properties operating at the continuum level. The interrelationships between these variables are complex, and thus difficult to interpret, especially in multi-component, multi-phase ductile engineering alloys such as α/β-processed Ti-6Al-4V (nominal composition, wt pct). Neural networks have been used to elucidate how variables such as composition and microstructure influence the fracture toughness directly ( i.e., via a crack initiation or propagation mechanism)—and independent of the influence of the same variables influence on the yield strength and plasticity of the material. The variables included in the models and analysis include (i) alloy composition, specifically, Al, V, O, and Fe; (ii) materials microstructure, including phase fractions and average sizes of key microstructural features; (iii) the yield strength and reduction in area obtained from uniaxial tensile tests; and (iv) an assessment of the degree to which plane strain conditions were satisfied by including a factor related to the plane strain thickness. Once trained, virtual experiments have been conducted which permit the determination of each variable's functional dependency on the resulting fracture toughness. Given that the database includes both K 1 C and K Q values, as well as the in-plane component of the stress state of the crack tip, it is possible to quantitatively assess the effect of sample thickness on K Q and the degree to which the K Q and K 1 C values may vary. These interpretations drawn by comparing multiple neural networks have a significant impact on the general understanding of how the microstructure influences the fracture toughness in ductile materials, as well as an ability to predict the fracture toughness of α/β-processed Ti-6Al-4V.

Fracture behavior of the Space Shuttle thermal protection system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Komine, A.; Kobayashi, A.S.

1983-09-01

Stable crack-growth and fracture-toughness experiments were conducted using precracked specimens machined from LI-900 reusable surface insulation (RSI) tiles of the Space Shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) at room temperature. Similar fracture experiments were conducted on fracture specimens with preexisting cracks at the interface of the tile and the strain isolation pad (SIP). Stable crack growth was not observed in the LI-900 tile fracture specimens which had a fracture toughness of 12.0 kPa sq rt of m. The intermittent subcritical crack growth at the tile-pad interface of the fracture specimens was attributed to successive local pull-outs due to tensile overload inmore » the LI-900 tile and cannot be characterized by linear elastic fracture mechanics. No subcritical interfacial crack growth was observed in the fracture specimens with densified LI-900 tiles where brittle fracture initiated at an interior point away from the densification. 11 references.« less

Development of Mini-Compact Tension Test Method for Determining Fracture Toughness Master Curves for Reactor Pressure Vessel Steels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sokolov, Mikhail A.

Small specimens are playing the key role in evaluating properties of irradiated materials. The use of small specimens provides several advantages. Typically, only a small volume of material can be irradiated in a reactor at desirable conditions in terms of temperature, neutron flux, and neutron dose. A small volume of irradiated material may also allow for easier handling of specimens. Smaller specimens reduce the amount of radioactive material, minimizing personnel exposures and waste disposal. However, use of small specimens imposes a variety of challenges as well. These challenges are associated with proper accounting for size effects and transferability of smallmore » specimen data to the real structures of interest. Any fracture toughness specimen that can be made out of the broken halves of standard Charpy specimens may have exceptional utility for evaluation of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) since it would allow one to determine and monitor directly actual fracture toughness instead of requiring indirect predictions using correlations established with impact data. The Charpy V-notch specimen is the most commonly used specimen geometry in surveillance programs. Validation of the mini compact tension specimen (mini-CT) geometry has been performed on previously well characterized Midland beltline Linde 80 (WF-70) weld in the unirradiated condition. It was shown that the fracture toughness transition temperature, To, measured by these Mini-CT specimens is almost the same as To value that was derived from various larger fracture toughness specimens. Moreover, an International collaborative program has been established to extend the assessment and validation efforts to irradiated Linde 80 weld metal. The program is underway and involves the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Central Research Institute for Electrical Power Industry (CRIEPI), and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The irradiated Mini-CT specimens from broken halves of previously tested

Strength, toughness and R-curve behaviour of SiC whisker-reinforced composite Si3N4 with reference to monolithic Si3N4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, S. R.; Salem, J. A.

1992-01-01

The flexural strength and fracture toughness of 30 vol pct SiC whisker-reinforced Si3N4 material were determined as a function of temperature from 25 to 1400 C in an air environment. It was found that both strength and toughness of the composite material were almost the same as those of the monolithic counterpart. The room-temperature strength was retained up to 1100 C; however, appreciable strength degradation started at 1200 C and reached a maximum at 1400 C due to stable crack growth. In contrast, the fracture toughness of the two materials was independent of temperature with an average value of 5.66 MPa sq rt m. It was also observed that the composite material exhibited no rising R-curve behavior at room temperature, as was the case for the monolithic material. These results indicate that SiC whisker addition to the Si3N4 matrix did not provide any favorable effects on strength, toughness and R-curve behavior.

Influence of gamma-irradiation sterilization and temperature on the fracture toughness of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.

PubMed

Pascaud, R S; Evans, W T; McCullagh, P J; FitzPatrick, D P

1997-05-01

Surface damage of the tibial plateau components of knee prostheses made from medical grade ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) has been attributed to delamination wear caused by a fatigue fracture mechanism. It has been proposed that factors such as component design and method of sterilization contribute to such failure mechanisms. Understanding the fracture behaviour of UHMW-PE is therefore critical in optimizing the in vivo life-span of total joint components. The elastic-plastic fracture toughness parameter J was consequently determined for a commercial UHMW-PE at ambient and body temperatures, before and after gamma-irradiation sterilization in air at a minimum dose of 29 kGy. Both ductile stability theory and experimental data suggest that cracks propagate in a stable manner, although stability is affected by the sterilization process. Sterilization with gamma-irradiation results in a loss in fracture toughness JIc of 50% and a decrease in tearing modulus (Tm) of 30%. This dramatic reduction could result in a 50% decrease in the residual strength of the components, maximum permissible crack size under service loading and service life (assuming flaws such as fusion defects exist). The time required for a crack to grow from its original size to the maximum permissible size could be decreased by 30%, resulting in earlier failure. In terms of the design of joint replacement components the critical factor to envisage is the design stress level, which should be halved to account for the irradiation process. A scanning electron microscope study reveals that the material fails in layers parallel to the fracture surface.

The Assessment and Validation of Mini-Compact Tension Test Specimen Geometry and Progress in Establishing Technique for Fracture Toughness Master Curves for Reactor Pressure Vessel Steels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sokolov, Mikhail A.; Nanstad, Randy K.

Small specimens are playing the key role in evaluating properties of irradiated materials. The use of small specimens provides several advantages. Typically, only a small volume of material can be irradiated in a reactor at desirable conditions in terms of temperature, neutron flux, and neutron dose. A small volume of irradiated material may also allow for easier handling of specimens. Smaller specimens reduce the amount of radioactive material, minimizing personnel exposures and waste disposal. However, use of small specimens imposes a variety of challenges as well. These challenges are associated with proper accounting for size effects and transferability of smallmore » specimen data to the real structures of interest. Any fracture toughness specimen that can be made out of the broken halves of standard Charpy specimens may have exceptional utility for evaluation of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) since it would allow one to determine and monitor directly actual fracture toughness instead of requiring indirect predictions using correlations established with impact data. The Charpy V-notch specimen is the most commonly used specimen geometry in surveillance programs. Assessment and validation of mini-CT specimen geometry has been performed on previously well characterized HSST Plate 13B, an A533B class 1 steel. It was shown that the fracture toughness transition temperature measured by these Mini-CT specimens is within the range of To values that were derived from various large fracture toughness specimens. Moreover, the scatter of the fracture toughness values measured by Mini-CT specimens perfectly follows the Weibull distribution function providing additional proof for validation of this geometry for the Master Curve evaluation of rector pressure vessel steels. Moreover, the International collaborative program has been developed to extend the assessment and validation efforts to irradiated weld metal. The program is underway and involves ORNL, CRIEPI, and

Tough Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vosteen, L. F. (Compiler); Johnson, N. J. (Compiler); Teichman, L. A. (Compiler)

1984-01-01

Papers and working group summaries are presented which address composite material behavior and performance improvement. Topic areas include composite fracture toughness and impact characterization, constituent properties and interrelationships, and matrix synthesis and characterization.

Roughness-Dominated Hydraulic Fracture Propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garagash, D.

2015-12-01

Current understanding suggests that the energy to propagate a hydraulic fracture is defined by the viscous fluid pressure drop along the fracture channel, while the energy dissipation in the immediate vicinity of the fracture front (i.e. fracture toughness) is negligible. This status quo relies on the assumption of Poiseuille flow in the fracture, which transmissivity varies as cube of the aperture. We re-evaluate this assumption in the vicinity of the fracture tip, where the aperture roughness and/or branching of the fracture path may lead to very significant deviations from the cubic law. Existing relationships suggest rough fracture transmissivity power laws ~ wr with 4.5 ≤ r ≤ 6, when aperture w is smaller than the roughness. Solving for the tip region of a steadily propagating hydraulic fracture with the "rough fracture" transmissivity, we are able to show (a) larger energy dissipation than predicted by the Poiseuille flow model; (b) localization of the fluid pressure drop into the low-transmissivity, rough tip region; and (c) emergence of potentially preeminent "toughness-dominated" fracture propagation regime where most of the energy is dissipated at the tip and can be described in the context of classical fracture mechanics by invoking the effective fracture toughness dependent upon the details of the pressure drop in the rough tip. We establish that the ratio of the roughness scale wc to the viscous aperture scale wμ = μVE / σ02, controls the pressure drop localization. (Here V - propagation speed, μ - fluid viscosity, E - rock modulus, and σ0 - in-situ stress). For a range of industrial fracturing fluids (from slick-water to linear gels) and treatment conditions, wc/wμ is large, suggesting a fully-localized pressure drop and energy dissipation. The latter is adequately described by the effective toughness - a function of the propagation velocity, confining stress and material parameters, which estimated values are much larger than the "dry" rock

An Evaluation of Fracture Toughness of Vinyl Ester Composites Cured under Microwave Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ku, H.; Chan, W. L.; Trada, M.; Baddeley, D.

2007-12-01

The shrinkage of vinyl ester particulate composites has been reduced by curing the resins under microwave conditions. The reduction in the shrinkage of the resins by microwaves will enable the manufacture of large vinyl ester composite items possible (H.S. Ku, G. Van Erp, J.A.R. Ball, and S. Ayers, Shrinkage Reduction of Thermoset Fibre Composites during Hardening using Microwaves Irradiation for Curing, Proceedings, Second World Engineering Congress, Kuching, Malaysia, 2002a, 22-25 July, p 177-182; H.S. Ku, Risks Involved in Curing Vinyl Ester Resins Using Microwaves Irradiation. J. Mater. Synth. Proces. 2002b, 10(2), p 97-106; S.H. Ku, Curing Vinyl Ester Particle Reinforced Composites Using Microwaves. J. Comp. Mater., (2003a), 37(22), p 2027-2042; S.H. Ku and E. Siores, Shrinkage Reduction of Thermoset Matrix Particle Reinforced Composites During Hardening Using Microwaves Irradiation, Trans. Hong Kong Inst. Eng., 2004, 11(3), p 29-34). In tensile tests, the yield strengths of samples cured under microwave conditions obtained are within 5% of those obtained by ambient curing; it is also found that with 180 W microwave power, the tensile strengths obtained for all duration of exposure to microwaves are also within the 5% of those obtained by ambient curing. While, with 360 W microwave power, the tensile strengths obtained for all duration of exposure to microwaves are 5% higher than those obtained by ambient curing. Whereas, with 540 W microwave power, the tensile strengths obtained for most samples are 5% below those obtained by ambient curing (H. Ku, V.C. Puttgunta, and M. Trada, Young’s Modulus of Vinyl Ester Composites Cured by Microwave Irradiation: Preliminary Results, J. Electromagnet. Waves Appl., 2007, 20(14), p. 1911-1924). This project, using 33% by weight fly ash reinforced vinyl ester composite [VE/FLYSH (33%)], is to further investigate the difference in fracture toughness between microwave cured vinyl ester particulate composites and those cured

On improving the fracture toughness of a NiAl-based alloy by mechanical alloying

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kostrubanic, J.; Koss, D. A.; Locci, I. E.; Nathal, M.

1991-01-01

Mechanical alloying (MA) has been used to process the NiAl-based alloy Ni-35Al-20Fe, such that a fine-grain (about 2 microns) microstructure is obtained through the addition of 2 vol pct Y2O3 particles. When compared to a conventionally processed, coarse-grained (about 28 microns) Ni-35-20 alloy without the Y2O3 particles, the MA alloy exhibits two to three times higher fracture toughness values, despite a 50-percent increase in yield strength. Room-temperature K(O) values as high as 34 MPa sq rt m are observed, accompanied by a yield strength in excess of 1100 MPa. Fractography confirms a change in fracture characteristics of the fine-grained MA alloy.

Experimental study of the fracture toughness of a ceramic/ceramic-matrix composite sandwich structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Z.; Taya, M.; Dunn, M.L.

A hybrid experimental-numerical approach has been used to measure the fracture resistance of a sandwich structure consisting of a 304 stainless steel/partially stabilized zirconia ceramic-matrix composite crack-arresting layer embedded in a partially stabilized zirconia ceramic specimen. The mode 1 fracture toughness increases significantly when the crack propagates from the ceramic into the ceramic-matrix composite region. The increased toughening due to the stainless steel particles is explained reasonably well by a toughening model based on processing-induced thermal residual stresses. In addition, several experimental modifications were made to the chevron-notch wedge-loaded double cantilever beam specimen to overcome numerous problems encountered in generatingmore » a precrack in the small, brittle specimens used in this study.« less

Experimental study of interfacial fracture toughness in a SiN(x)/PMMA barrier film.

PubMed

Kim, Yongjin; Bulusu, Anuradha; Giordano, Anthony J; Marder, Seth R; Dauskardt, Reinhold; Graham, Samuel

2012-12-01

Organic/inorganic multilayer barrier films play an important role in the semihermetic packaging of organic electronic devices. With the rise in use of flexible organic electronics, there exists the potential for mechanical failure due to the loss of adhesion/cohesion when exposed to harsh environmental operating conditions. Although barrier performance has been the predominant metric for evaluating these encapsulation films, interfacial adhesion between the organic/inorganic barrier films and factors that influence their mechanical strength and reliability has received little attention. In this work, we present the interfacial fracture toughness of a model organic/inorganic multilayer barrier (SiN(x)-PMMA). Data from four point bending (FPB) tests showed that adhesive failure occurred between the SiN(x) and PMMA, and that the adhesion increased from 4.8 to 10 J/m(2) by using a variety of chemical treatments to vary the surface energy at the interface. Moreover, the adhesion strength increased to 28 J/m(2) by creating strong covalent bonds at the interface. Overall, three factors were found to have the greatest impact on the interfacial fracture toughness which were (a) increasing the polar component of the surface energy, (b) creating strong covalent bonds at the organic/inorganic interface, and (c) by increasing the plastic zone size at the crack tip by increasing the thickness of the PMMA layer.

Study of fracture toughness and bend test morphologies of HVOF sprayed Cr3C2-25% NiCr coating after heat treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrivastava, Sharad; Upadhyaya, Rohit

2018-04-01

Majority of the industrial components are subjected to high temperature exposure, where crack propagation occurs due to shear failure. The paper involves the study of the fracture toughness of heat treated Cr3C2-NiCr coating at three different service temperatures (750°C, 850°C, and 950°C for 1-hour aging) using indentation techniques to measure the crack resistance of the coating. At 750°C and 850°C, the coating cracked at the bend area, but not spalled. At 950°C, the coating spalled and delaminated from the substrate indicating poor adhesion after prolonged exposure. The influence of heat treatment on the fracture toughness and adhesion properties of the Cr3C2-25%NiCr coating were also investigated. The high temperature exposure at 950°C, resulted in a shear failure of the coating due to the presence of splat contraction. The increase in temperature increases the fracture toughness KIC of the coating, with the decrease in hardness. It was observed that the oxidation levels enhanced on the top layer of the coating, which acted like a core region for crack initiation at 950°C resulting in shear failure during bend test.

A New Test Method for Determining the Strength and Fracture Toughness of Cement Mortar and Concrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Jy-An John; Liu, Ken C; Naus, Dan J

2010-01-01

The Spiral Notch Torsion Fracture Toughness Test (SNTT) was developed recently to determine the intrinsic fracture toughness (KIC) of structural materials. The SNTT system operates by applying pure torsion to uniform cylindrical specimens with a notch line that spirals around the specimen at a 45 a pitch. KIC values are obtained with the aid of a three-dimensional finite-element computer code, TOR3D-KIC. The SNTT method is uniquely suitable for testing a wide variety of materials used extensively in pressure vessel and piping structural components and weldments. Application of the method to metallic, ceramic, and graphite materials has been demonstrated. One importantmore » characteristic of SNTT is that neither a fatigue precrack or a deep notch are required for the evaluation of brittle materials, which significantly reduces the sample size requirement. In this paper we report results for a Portland cement-based mortar to demonstrate applicability of the SNTT method to cementitious materials. The estimated KIC of the tested mortar samples with compressive strength of 34.45 MPa was found to be 0.19 MPa m^(1/2).« less

Fracture Toughness and Reliability in High-Temperature Structural Ceramics and Composites: Prospects and Challenges for the 21st Century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutta, Sunil

1999-01-01

The importance of high fracture toughness and reliability in Si3N4, and SiC-based structural ceramics and ceramic matrix composites is reviewed. The potential of these ceramics and ceramic matrix composites for high temperature applications in defense and aerospace applications such as gas turbine engines, radomes, and other energy conversion hardware have been well recognized. Numerous investigations were pursued to improve fracture toughness and reliability by incorporating various reinforcements such as particulate-, whisker-, and continuous fiber into Si3N4 and SiC matrices. All toughening mechanisms, e.g. crack deflection, crack branching, crack bridging, etc., essentially redistribute stresses at the crack tip and increase the energy needed to propagate a crack through the composite material, thereby resulting in improved fracture toughness and reliability. Because of flaw insensitivity, continuous fiber reinforced ceramic composite (CFCC) was found to have the highest potential for higher operating temperature and longer service conditions. However, the ceramic fibers should display sufficient high temperature strength and creep resistance at service temperatures above 1000 'C. The greatest challenge to date is the development of high quality ceramic fibers with associate coatings able to maintain their high strength in oxidizing environment at high temperature. In the area of processing, critical issues are, preparation of optimum matrix precursors, precursor infiltration into fiber array, and matrix densification at a temperature, where grain crystallization and fiber degradation do not occur. A broad scope of effort is required for improved processing and properties with a better understanding of all candidate composite systems.

Effect of matrix material on the fracture behavior and toughness of high temperature polymer composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chenock, T.A.Jr.; Heshmet, A.

1990-07-01

The effect of matrix material on the strength, toughness, and fracture behavior of two high temperature polyimide/carbon fiber composites has been studied and compared. The polyimide matrix resins under investigation are PMR-II-20, PMR-15. Each system was reinforced with epoxy sized Celion G30-500 carbon fabric (8HSW, 3K tow). Un-notched and notched specimens were tested under 4-point bend loading in both translaminar and crosslaminar directions.

iMatTOUGH: An open-source Matlab-based graphical user interface for pre- and post-processing of TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2 models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tran, Anh Phuong; Dafflon, Baptiste; Hubbard, Susan

TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2 are powerful models that simulate the heat and fluid flows in porous and fracture media, and perform parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis and uncertainty propagation analysis. However, setting up the input files is not only tedious, but error prone, and processing output files is time consuming. Here, we present an open source Matlab-based tool (iMatTOUGH) that supports the generation of all necessary inputs for both TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2 and visualize their outputs. The tool links the inputs of TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2, making sure the two input files are consistent. It supports the generation of rectangular computational mesh, i.e.,more » it automatically generates the elements and connections as well as their properties as required by TOUGH2. The tool also allows the specification of initial and time-dependent boundary conditions for better subsurface heat and water flow simulations. The effectiveness of the tool is illustrated by an example that uses TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2 to estimate soil hydrological and thermal properties from soil temperature data and simulate the heat and water flows at the Rifle site in Colorado.« less

iMatTOUGH: An open-source Matlab-based graphical user interface for pre- and post-processing of TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2 models

DOE PAGES

Tran, Anh Phuong; Dafflon, Baptiste; Hubbard, Susan

2016-04-01

TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2 are powerful models that simulate the heat and fluid flows in porous and fracture media, and perform parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis and uncertainty propagation analysis. However, setting up the input files is not only tedious, but error prone, and processing output files is time consuming. Here, we present an open source Matlab-based tool (iMatTOUGH) that supports the generation of all necessary inputs for both TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2 and visualize their outputs. The tool links the inputs of TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2, making sure the two input files are consistent. It supports the generation of rectangular computational mesh, i.e.,more » it automatically generates the elements and connections as well as their properties as required by TOUGH2. The tool also allows the specification of initial and time-dependent boundary conditions for better subsurface heat and water flow simulations. The effectiveness of the tool is illustrated by an example that uses TOUGH2 and iTOUGH2 to estimate soil hydrological and thermal properties from soil temperature data and simulate the heat and water flows at the Rifle site in Colorado.« less

Constitutive behavior and fracture toughness properties of the F82H ferritic/martensitic steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spätig, P.; Odette, G. R.; Donahue, E.; Lucas, G. E.

2000-12-01

A detailed investigation of the constitutive behavior of the International Energy Agency (IEA) program heat of 8 Cr unirradiated F82H ferritic-martensitic steel has been undertaken in the temperature range of 80-723 K. The overall tensile flow stress is decomposed into temperature-dependent and athermal yield stress contributions plus a mildly temperature-dependent strain-hardening component. The fitting forms are based on a phenomenological dislocation mechanics model. This formulation provides a more accurate and physically based representation of the flow stress as a function of the key variables of test temperature, strain and stain rate compared to simple power law treatments. Fracture toughness measurements from small compact tension specimens are also reported and analyzed in terms of a critical stress-critical area local fracture model.

Initiation and propagation toughness of delamination crack under an impact load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Prashant; Kishore, N. N.

1998-10-01

A combined experimental and finite element method is developed to determine the interlaminar dynamic fracture toughness. An interlaminar crack is propagated at very high speed in a double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen made of two steel strips with a precrack. A special fixture is designed to apply impact load to one cantilever and determine the deflection of the cantilever-end, initiation time and crack propagation history. The experimental results are used as input data in a FE code to calculate J-integral by the gradual release of nodal forces to model the propagation of the interlaminar crack. The initiation fracture toughness and propagation fracture toughness are evaluated for interlaminar crack propagating between 850 and 1785 ms. The initiation and propagation toughness were found to vary between 90-200 Jm 2 and 2-13 Jm 2 respectively. The technique is extended to study initiation and propagation toughness of interlaminar crack in unidirectional FRP laminates. 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.

2014 Accomplishments-Tritium aging studies on stainless steel: Fracture toughness properties of forged stainless steels-Effect of hydrogen, forging strain rate, and forging temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgan, Michael J.

Forged stainless steels are used as the materials of construction for tritium reservoirs. During service, tritium diffuses into the reservoir walls and radioactively decays to helium-3. Tritium and decay helium cause a higher propensity for cracking which could lead to a tritium leak or delayed failure of a tritium reservoir. The factors that affect the tendency for crack formation and propagation include: Environment; steel type and microstructure; and, vessel configuration (geometry, pressure, residual stress). Fracture toughness properties are needed for evaluating the long-term effects of tritium on their structural properties. Until now, these effects have been characterized by measuring themore » effects of tritium on the tensile and fracture toughness properties of specimens fabricated from experimental forgings in the form of forward-extruded cylinders. A key result of those studies is that the long-term cracking resistance of stainless steels in tritium service depends greatly on the interaction between decay helium and the steels’ forged microstructure. New experimental research programs are underway and are designed to measure tritium and decay helium effects on the cracking properties of stainless steels using actual tritium reservoir forgings instead of the experimental forgings of past programs. The properties measured should be more representative of actual reservoir properties because the microstructure of the specimens tested will be more like that of the tritium reservoirs. The programs are designed to measure the effects of key forging variables on tritium compatibility and include three stainless steels, multiple yield strengths, and four different forging processes. The effects on fracture toughness of hydrogen and crack orientation were measured for type 316L forgings. In addition, hydrogen effects on toughness were measured for Type 304L block forgings having two different yield strengths. Finally, fracture toughness properties of type

User's Guide for TOUGH2-MP - A Massively Parallel Version of the TOUGH2 Code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Earth Sciences Division; Zhang, Keni; Zhang, Keni

TOUGH2-MP is a massively parallel (MP) version of the TOUGH2 code, designed for computationally efficient parallel simulation of isothermal and nonisothermal flows of multicomponent, multiphase fluids in one, two, and three-dimensional porous and fractured media. In recent years, computational requirements have become increasingly intensive in large or highly nonlinear problems for applications in areas such as radioactive waste disposal, CO2 geological sequestration, environmental assessment and remediation, reservoir engineering, and groundwater hydrology. The primary objective of developing the parallel-simulation capability is to significantly improve the computational performance of the TOUGH2 family of codes. The particular goal for the parallel simulator ismore » to achieve orders-of-magnitude improvement in computational time for models with ever-increasing complexity. TOUGH2-MP is designed to perform parallel simulation on multi-CPU computational platforms. An earlier version of TOUGH2-MP (V1.0) was based on the TOUGH2 Version 1.4 with EOS3, EOS9, and T2R3D modules, a software previously qualified for applications in the Yucca Mountain project, and was designed for execution on CRAY T3E and IBM SP supercomputers. The current version of TOUGH2-MP (V2.0) includes all fluid property modules of the standard version TOUGH2 V2.0. It provides computationally efficient capabilities using supercomputers, Linux clusters, or multi-core PCs, and also offers many user-friendly features. The parallel simulator inherits all process capabilities from V2.0 together with additional capabilities for handling fractured media from V1.4. This report provides a quick starting guide on how to set up and run the TOUGH2-MP program for users with a basic knowledge of running the (standard) version TOUGH2 code, The report also gives a brief technical description of the code, including a discussion of parallel methodology, code structure, as well as mathematical and numerical

Prediction of fracture toughness and durability of adhesively bonded composite joints with undesirable bonding conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musaramthota, Vishal

Advanced composite materials have enabled the conventional aircraft structures to reduce weight, improve fuel efficiency and offer superior mechanical properties. In the past, materials such as aluminum, steel or titanium have been used to manufacture aircraft structures for support of heavy loads. Within the last decade or so, demand for advanced composite materials have been emerging that offer significant advantages over the traditional metallic materials. Of particular interest in the recent years, there has been an upsurge in scientific significance in the usage of adhesively bonded composite joints (ABCJ's). ABCJ's negate the introduction of stress risers that are associated with riveting or other classical techniques. In today's aircraft transportation market, there is a push to increase structural efficiency by promoting adhesive bonding to primary joining of aircraft structures. This research is focused on the issues associated with the durability and related failures in bonded composite joints that continue to be a critical hindrance to the universal acceptance of ABCJ's. Of particular interest are the short term strength, contamination and long term durability of ABCJ's. One of the factors that influence bond performance is contamination and in this study the influence of contamination on composite-adhesive bond quality was investigated through the development of a repeatable and scalable surface contamination procedure. Results showed an increase in the contaminant coverage area decreases the overall bond strength significantly. A direct correlation between the contaminant coverage area and the fracture toughness of the bonded joint was established. Another factor that influences bond performance during an aircraft's service life is its long term strength upon exposure to harsh environmental conditions or when subjected to severe mechanical loading. A test procedure was successfully developed in order to evaluate durability of ABCJ's comprising severe

Determination of toughness and embrittlement for reactor pressure vessel steels using ultrasonic measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiser, Allen Lee, Jr.

Neutron irradiation embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels results in a loss of fracture toughness (e.g., reduction in load carrying capacity of the steel). For the setting of operational limits and assuring the continued safe operation of the plant, current procedures estimate the effects of neutron embrittlement using empirical relations or the results of small samples irradiated in the plant. These procedures account for uncertainties in the estimates through the use of margin terms to ensure the conservatism of the resultant estimate vis-a-vis the "real" material toughness. Therefore, the ability to develop non destructive measurements that can estimate the actual RPV steel fracture toughness in situ would provide more accurate evaluations of operating limits for plants. This study was undertaken to evaluate the suitability of ultrasonic attenuation measurements for estimating the fracture toughness of RPV steels. Ultrasonic measurements were made on samples in three distinct phases: (1) a heat treated RPV steel to induce changes in its fracture toughness; (2) several irradiated RPV steels to assess actual neutron embrittlement changes in fracture toughness; and (3) a matrix of unirradiated RPV steels with a range of as fabricated toughness levels. The results indicate that ultrasonic attenuation is generally able to identify differences in responses for samples with different toughness levels, although in some cases the differences in ultrasonic responses are small. The results from the three phases are not consistent, as in some cases reduced toughness results in higher attenuation and in other cases lower attenuation. This trend is not surprising given the different types of microstructural changes that result in the toughness changes for each phase of this work. In addition, different trends were identified for plate and weld materials.

Toughness Properties of Nodular Iron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradley, Walter L.

1985-01-01

The German government recently certified ductile iron for construction of nuclear waste transport containers. This approved use of ductile iron for such a critical application represents the culmination of ten years worth of research bringing to light the surprising toughness of ductile iron. This article explains how modern fracture mechanics and microstructure/property relationships have altered the stereotype of ductile iron as a low toughness material.

On the feasibility of the Chevron Notch Beam method to measure fracture toughness of fine-grained zirconia ceramics.

PubMed

Kailer, Andreas; Stephan, Marc

2016-10-01

The fracture toughness determination of fine-grained zirconia ceramics using the chevron notched beam method (CNB) was investigated to assess the feasibility of this method for quality assurance and material characterization. CNB tests were performed using four different yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramics under various testing modes and conditions, including displacement-controlled and load-rate-controlled four point bending to assess the influence of slow crack growth and identify most suitable test parameters. For comparison, tests using single-edge V-notch beams (SEVNB) were conducted. It was observed that the CNB method yields well-reproducible results. However, slow crack growth effects significantly affect the measured KIC values, especially when slow loading rates are used. To minimize the effect of slow crack growth, the application of high loading rates is recommended. Despite a certain effort needed for setting up a sample preparation routine, the CNB method is considered to be very useful for measuring and controlling the fracture toughness of zirconia ceramics. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Artificial Aging Effects on Cryogenic Fracture Toughness of the Main Structural Alloy for the Super Lightweight Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, P. S.; Stanton, W. P.

2002-01-01

In 1996, Marshall Space Flight Center developed a multistep heating rate-controlled (MSRC) aging technique that significantly enhanced cryogenic fracture toughness (CFT) and reduced the statistical spread of fracture toughness values in alloy 2195 by controlling the location and size of strengthening precipitate T1. However, it could not be readily applied to flight-related hardware production, primarily because large-scale production furnaces are unable to maintain a heating rate of 0.6 C (1 F)/hr. In August 1996, a new program was initiated to determine whether the MSRC aging treatment could be further modified to facilitate its implementation to flight hardware production. It was successfully redesigned into a simplified two-step aging treatment consisting of 132 C (270 F)/20 hr + 138 C (280 F)/40 hr. Results indicated that two-step aging can achieve the same yield strength levels as those produced by conventional aging while providing greatly improved ductility. Two-step aging proved to be very effective at enhancing CFT, enabling previously rejected materials to meet simulated service requirements. Cryogenic properties are improved by controlling T1 nucleation and growth so that they are promoted in the matrix and suppressed in the subgrain boundaries.

Effect of Embedded Piezoelectric Sensors on Fracture Toughness and Fatigue Resistance of Composite Laminates Under Mode I Loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murri, Gretchen B.

2006-01-01

Double-cantilevered beam (DCB) specimens of a glass/epoxy composite material with embedded piezoelectric sensors were tested both statically and under fatigue loading to determine the effect of the embedded material on the Mode I fracture toughness and fatigue resistance compared to baseline data without the embedded elements. A material known as LaRC-Macrofiber Composite (LaRC-MFC (TradeMark)), or MFC, was embedded at the midplane of the specimen during the layup. Specimens were manufactured with the embedded MFC material either at the loaded end of the specimen to simulate an initial delamination; or with the MFC material located at the delaminating interface, with a Teflon film at the loaded end to simulate an initial delamination. There were three types of specimens with the embedded material at the delaminating interface: co-cured with no added adhesive; cured with a paste adhesive applied to the embedded element; or cured with a film adhesive added to the embedded material. Tests were conducted with the sensors in both the passive and active states. Results were compared to baseline data for the same material without embedded elements. Interlaminar fracture toughness values (G(sub Ic)) for the passive condition showed little change when the MFC was at the insert end. Passive results varied when the MFC was at the delaminating interface. For the co-cured case and with the paste adhesive, G(sub Ic) decreased compared to the baseline toughness, whereas, for the film adhesive case, G(sub Ic) was significantly greater than the baseline toughness, but the failure was always catastrophic. When the MFC was in the active state, G(sub Ic) was generally lower compared to the passive results. Fatigue tests showed little effect of the embedded material whether it was active or passive compared to baseline values.

Application of fracture mechanics to failure in manatee rib bone.

PubMed

Yan, Jiahau; Clifton, Kari B; Reep, Roger L; Mecholsky, John J

2006-06-01

The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is listed as endangered by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Manatee ribs have different microstructure from the compact bone of other mammals. Biomechanical properties of the manatee ribs need to be better understood. Fracture toughness (K(C)) has been shown to be a good index to assess the mechanical performance of bone. Quantitative fractography can be used in concert with fracture mechanics equations to identify fracture initiating defects/cracks and to calculate the fracture toughness of bone materials. Fractography is a standard technique for analyzing fracture behavior of brittle and quasi-brittle materials. Manatee ribs are highly mineralized and fracture in a manner similar to quasi-brittle materials. Therefore, quantitative fractography was applied to determine the fracture toughness of manatee ribs. Average fracture toughness values of small flexure specimens from six different sizes of manatees ranged from 1.3 to 2.6 MPa(m)(12). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show most of the fracture origins were at openings for blood vessels and interlayer spaces. Quantitative fractography and fracture mechanics can be combined to estimate the fracture toughness of the material in manatee rib bone. Fracture toughness of subadult and calf manatees appears to increase as the size of the manatee increases. Average fracture toughness of the manatee rib bone materials is less than the transverse fracture toughness of human and bovine tibia and femur.

Effect of deformation twin on toughness in magnesium binary alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somekawa, Hidetoshi; Inoue, Tadanobu; Tsuzaki, Kaneaki

2015-08-01

The impact of alloying elements on toughness was investigated using eight kinds of Mg-0.3 at.% X (X = Al, Ag, Ca, Gd, Mn, Pb, Y and Zn) binary alloys with meso-grained structures. These binary alloys had an average grain size of approximately 20 μm. The fracture toughness and crack propagation behaviour were influenced by the alloying elements; the Mg-Ag and Mg-Pb alloys had the highest and the lowest toughness amongst the alloys, respectively, irrespective of presence in their ? type deformation twins. The twin boundaries affected the crack propagation behaviour in most of the alloys; in contrast, not only was the fracture related to the twin boundaries, but also the intergranular fracture occurred in the alloys that included rare earth elements. The influential factor for toughness in the meso- and the coarse-grained magnesium alloys, which readily formed deformation twins during plastic deformation, was not the change in lattice parameter with chemical composition, but the twin boundary segregation energy.

Treadmill Exercise Improves Fracture Toughness and Indentation Modulus without Altering the Nanoscale Morphology of Collagen in Mice.

PubMed

Hammond, Max A; Laine, Tyler J; Berman, Alycia G; Wallace, Joseph M

The specifics of how the nanoscale properties of collagen (e.g., the crosslinking profile) affect the mechanical integrity of bone at larger length scales is poorly understood despite growing evidence that collagen's nanoscale properties are altered with disease. Additionally, mass independent increases in postyield displacement due to exercise suggest loading-induced improvements in bone quality associated with collagen. To test whether disease-induced reductions in bone quality driven by alterations in collagen can be rescued or prevented via exercise-mediated changes to collagen's nanoscale morphology and mechanical properties, the effects of treadmill exercise and β-aminopropionitrile treatment were investigated. Eight week old female C57BL/6 mice were given a daily subcutaneous injection of either 164 mg/kg β-aminopropionitrile or phosphate buffered saline while experiencing either normal cage activity or 30 min of treadmill exercise for 21 consecutive days. Despite differences in D-spacing distribution (P = 0.003) and increased cortical area (tibial: P = 0.005 and femoral: P = 0.015) due to β-aminopropionitrile treatment, an overt mechanical disease state was not achieved as there were no differences in fracture toughness or 4 point bending due to β-aminopropionitrile treatment. While exercise did not alter (P = 0.058) the D-spacing distribution of collagen or prevent (P < 0.001) the β-aminopropionitrile-induced changes present in the unexercised animals, there were differential effects in the distribution of the reduced elastic modulus due to exercise between control and β-aminopropionitrile-treated animals (P < 0.001). Fracture toughness was increased (P = 0.043) as a main effect of exercise, but no significant differences due to exercise were observed using 4 point bending. Future studies should examine the potential for sex specific differences in the dose of β-aminopropionitrile required to induce mechanical effects in mice and the contributions

Fracture-tough, high hardness stainless steel and method of making same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olson, Gregory B. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A cryogenically-formed and tempered stainless steel is provided having improved fracture toughness and corrosion resistance at a given hardness level, such as, for example, of at least about Rc 60 for bearing applications. The steel consists essentially of, in weight %, about 21 to about 24% Co, about 11 to about 13% Cr, about 7 to about 9% Ni, about 0.1 to about 0.5% Mo, about 0.2 to about 0.3% V, about 0.28 to about 0.32% C, and the balance iron. The steel includes a cryogenically-formed martensitic microstructure tempered to include about 5 to about 10 volume % post-deformation retained austenite dispersed therein and M.sub.2 C-type carbides, where M is Cr, Mo, V, and/or Fe, dispersed in the microstructure.

Specimen size and geometry effects on fracture toughness of Al2O3 measured with short rod and short bar chevron-notch specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shannon, J. L., Jr.; Munz, D. G.

1983-01-01

Plane strain fracture toughness measurements were made on Al2O3 using short rod and short bar chevron notch specimens previously calibrated by the authors for their dimensionless stress intensity factor coefficients. The measured toughness varied systematically with variations in specimen size, proportions, and chevron notch angle apparently due to their influence on the amount of crack extension to maximum load (the measurement point). The toughness variations are explained in terms of a suspected rising R curve for the material tested, along with a discussion of an unavoidable imprecision in the calculation of K sub Ic for materials with rising R curves when tested with chevron notch specimens.

Effect of processing on fracture toughness of silicon carbide as determined by Vickers indentations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dannels, Christine M.; Dutta, Sunil

1989-01-01

Several alpha-SiC materials were processed by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) and by sintering an alpha-SiC powder containing boron and carbon. Several beta-SiC materials were processed by HIPing a beta-SiC powder with boron and carbon additions. The fracture toughnesses K(sub 1c) of these beta- and alpha-SiC materials were estimated from measurements of Vickers indentations. The three formulas used to estimate K(sub 1c) from the indentation fracture patterns resulted in three ranges of K(sub 1c) estimates. Furthermore, each formula measured the effects of processing differently. All three estimates indicated that fine-grained HIPed alpha-SiC has a higher K(sub 1c) than coarsed-grained sintered alpha-SiC. Hot isostatically pressed beta-SiC, which had an ultrafine grain structure, exhibited a K(sub 1c) comparable to that of HIPed alpha-SiC.

Effects of Sulfur Content on the Plain Strain Fracture Toughness of Inertia Welds in 4340 Steel.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

and the upsetting or forging stage. Welding heat is dev loped duiring the first stage, and the weld is consolidated and cooled during the second stage...PLAIN STRAIN FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF INERTIA WELDS IN 4340 STEEL *WILLIAM S. RICCI, ERIC B. KULA, and JAMES D. COLGATE PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY DIVISION...OF INERTIA WELDS IN 4340 STEEL S. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT UMIER 7. AUTHOR(s)" . CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMRER(,) William S. Ricci, Eric B. Kula, and James D

Effect of Growth Rate on Elevated Temperature Plastic Flow and Room Temperature Fracture Toughness of Directionally Solidified NiAl-31Cr-3Mo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whittenberger, J. Daniel; Raj, S. V.; Locci, I. E.; Salem, J. A.

1999-01-01

The eutectic system Ni-33Al-31Cr-3Mo was directionally solidified at rates ranging from 7.6 to 508 mm/h. Samples were examined for microstructure and alloy chemistry, compression tested at 1200 and 1300 K, and subjected to room temperature fracture toughness measurements. Lamellar eutectic grains were formed at 12.7 mm/h; however cellular structures with a radial eutectic pattern developed at faster growth rates. Elevated temperature compression testing between 10(exp -4) to 10(exp -7)/s did not reveal an optimum growth condition, nor did any single growth condition result in a significant fracture toughness advantage. The mechanical behavior, taken together, suggests that Ni-33Al-31Cr-3Mo grown at rates from 25.4 to 254 mm/h will have nominally equivalent properties.

Effects of Thermal Aging on Material Properties, Stress Corrosion Cracking, and Fracture Toughness of AISI 316L Weld Metal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, Timothy; Forsström, Antti; Saukkonen, Tapio; Ballinger, Ronald; Hänninen, Hannu

2016-08-01

Thermal aging and consequent embrittlement of materials are ongoing issues in cast stainless steels, as well as duplex, and high-Cr ferritic stainless steels. Spinodal decomposition is largely responsible for the well-known "748 K (475 °C) embrittlement" that results in drastic reductions in ductility and toughness in these materials. This process is also operative in welds of either cast or wrought stainless steels where δ-ferrite is present. While the embrittlement can occur after several hundred hours of aging at 748 K (475 °C), the process is also operative at lower temperatures, at the 561 K (288 °C) operating temperature of a boiling water reactor (BWR), for example, where ductility reductions have been observed after several tens of thousands of hours of exposure. An experimental program was carried out in order to understand how spinodal decomposition may affect changes in material properties in Type 316L BWR piping weld metals. The study included material characterization, nanoindentation hardness, double-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR), Charpy-V, tensile, SCC crack growth, and in situ fracture toughness testing as a function of δ-ferrite content, aging time, and temperature. SCC crack growth rates of Type 316L stainless steel weld metal under simulated BWR conditions showed an approximate 2 times increase in crack growth rate over that of the unaged as-welded material. In situ fracture toughness measurements indicate that environmental exposure can result in a reduction of toughness by up to 40 pct over the corresponding at-temperature air-tested values. Material characterization results suggest that spinodal decomposition is responsible for the degradation of material properties measured in air, and that degradation of the in situ properties may be a result of hydrogen absorbed during exposure to the high-temperature water environment.

An evaluation of the fatigue crack growth and fracture toughness properties of beryllium-copper alloy CDA172

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forman, Royce G.; Henkener, Julie A.

1990-01-01

A series of fracture mechanics tests, using the Be-Cu alloy CDA172 in the round rod product form, was conducted in a lab air environment at room temperature. Tensile data is presented in both the L and C directions and K sub Ic data in both the C-R and C-L orientations. Fracture toughness values were derived from M(T) (center cracked), PS(T) (surface cracked) and CC01 (corner cracked) specimens of varying thickness. Fatigue crack growth data were obtained for the C-R orientation at stress ratio of 0.1, 0.4, and 0.7 and for the C-L orientation at stress ratios of 0.1, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.7.

Fracture toughness, tensile and stress corrosion cracking properties of Alloy 600, Alloy 690 and their welds in water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, C.M.; Mills, W.J.

1996-10-01

The fracture toughness and tensile properties of Alloy 600, Alloy 690 and their welds, EN82H and EN52, were characterized in 54 and 338 C water with an elevated hydrogen content. Results were compared with air data to evaluate the effect of low and high temperature water on mechanical properties. In addition, the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of EN82H and EN52 welds was evaluated in 360 C water with high hydrogen. Elastic-plastic J{sub c} fracture toughness testing revealed that the fracture resistance of all test materials was exceptionally high in 54 and 338 C air and 338 C water, demonstratingmore » that fracture properties were essentially unaffected by the high temperature water environment. In 54 C water, however, J{sub c} values for EN82H and EN52 welds were reduced by an order of magnitude, and Alloy 690 showed a five-fold decrease in J{sub c}. Tensile properties for all test materials were essentially unaffected by the water environment, except for the total elongation for EN82H welds which was significantly reduced in 54 C water. At a strain rate of 5 x 10{sup 6} sec{sup {minus}1} in low temperature water, there appears to be sufficient time for environmental interactions to restrict ductility in EN82H welds. Constant-load testing of precracked weld specimens in 360 C water resulted in extensive intergranular SCC in EN82H welds loaded to K{sub I} levels between 35 and 55 MPa {radical}m, whereas no SCC occurred in EN52 welds under comparable test conditions.« less

Effects of spatial heterogeneity and material anisotropy on the fracture pattern and macroscopic effective toughness of Mancos Shale in Brazilian tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, SeonHong; Sun, WaiChing; Ingraham, Mathew D.; Yoon, Hongkyu

2017-08-01

For assessing energy-related activities in the subsurface, it is important to investigate the impact of the spatial variability and anisotropy on the geomechanical behavior of shale. The Brazilian test, an indirect tensile-splitting method, is performed in this work, and the evolution of strain field is obtained using digital image correlation. Experimental results show the significant impact of local heterogeneity and lamination on the crack pattern characteristics. For numerical simulations, a phase field method is used to simulate the brittle fracture behavior under various Brazilian test conditions. In this study, shale is assumed to consist of two constituents including the stiff and soft layers to which the same toughness but different elastic moduli are assigned. Microstructural heterogeneity is simplified to represent mesoscale (e.g., millimeter scale) features such as layer orientation, thickness, volume fraction, and defects. The effect of these structural attributes on the onset, propagation, and coalescence of cracks is explored. The simulation results show that spatial heterogeneity and material anisotropy highly affect crack patterns and effective fracture toughness, and the elastic contrast of two constituents significantly alters the effective toughness. However, the complex crack patterns observed in the experiments cannot completely be accounted for by either an isotropic or transversely isotropic effective medium approach. This implies that cracks developed in the layered system may coalesce in complicated ways depending on the local heterogeneity, and the interaction mechanisms between the cracks using two-constituent systems may explain the wide range of effective toughness of shale reported in the literature.

Effects of spatial heterogeneity and material anisotropy on the fracture pattern and macroscopic effective toughness of Mancos Shale in Brazilian tests

DOE PAGES

Na, SeonHong; Sun, WaiChing; Ingraham, Mathew D.; ...

2017-07-31

For assessing energy-related activities in the subsurface, it is important to investigate the impact of the spatial variability and anisotropy on the geomechanical behavior of shale. The Brazilian test, an indirect tensile-splitting method, is performed in this work, and the evolution of strain field is obtained using digital image correlation. Experimental results show the significant impact of local heterogeneity and lamination on the crack pattern characteristics. For numerical simulations, a phase field method is used to simulate the brittle fracture behavior under various Brazilian test conditions. In this study, shale is assumed to consist of two constituents including the stiffmore » and soft layers to which the same toughness but different elastic moduli are assigned. Microstructural heterogeneity is simplified to represent mesoscale (e.g., millimeter scale) features such as layer orientation, thickness, volume fraction, and defects. The effect of these structural attributes on the onset, propagation, and coalescence of cracks is explored. The simulation results show that spatial heterogeneity and material anisotropy highly affect crack patterns and effective fracture toughness, and the elastic contrast of two constituents significantly alters the effective toughness. However, the complex crack patterns observed in the experiments cannot completely be accounted for by either an isotropic or transversely isotropic effective medium approach. In conclusion, this implies that cracks developed in the layered system may coalesce in complicated ways depending on the local heterogeneity, and the interaction mechanisms between the cracks using two-constituent systems may explain the wide range of effective toughness of shale reported in the literature.« less

Effects of spatial heterogeneity and material anisotropy on the fracture pattern and macroscopic effective toughness of Mancos Shale in Brazilian tests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Na, SeonHong; Sun, WaiChing; Ingraham, Mathew D.

For assessing energy-related activities in the subsurface, it is important to investigate the impact of the spatial variability and anisotropy on the geomechanical behavior of shale. The Brazilian test, an indirect tensile-splitting method, is performed in this work, and the evolution of strain field is obtained using digital image correlation. Experimental results show the significant impact of local heterogeneity and lamination on the crack pattern characteristics. For numerical simulations, a phase field method is used to simulate the brittle fracture behavior under various Brazilian test conditions. In this study, shale is assumed to consist of two constituents including the stiffmore » and soft layers to which the same toughness but different elastic moduli are assigned. Microstructural heterogeneity is simplified to represent mesoscale (e.g., millimeter scale) features such as layer orientation, thickness, volume fraction, and defects. The effect of these structural attributes on the onset, propagation, and coalescence of cracks is explored. The simulation results show that spatial heterogeneity and material anisotropy highly affect crack patterns and effective fracture toughness, and the elastic contrast of two constituents significantly alters the effective toughness. However, the complex crack patterns observed in the experiments cannot completely be accounted for by either an isotropic or transversely isotropic effective medium approach. In conclusion, this implies that cracks developed in the layered system may coalesce in complicated ways depending on the local heterogeneity, and the interaction mechanisms between the cracks using two-constituent systems may explain the wide range of effective toughness of shale reported in the literature.« less

Elastic-plastic fracture mechanics of compact bone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Jiahau

Bone is a composite composed mainly of organics, minerals and water. Most studies on the fracture toughness of bone have been conducted at room temperature. Considering that the body temperature of animals is higher than room temperature, and that bone has a high volumetric percentage of organics (generally, 35--50%), the effect of temperature on fracture toughness of bone should be studied. Single-edged V-shaped notched (SEVN) specimens were prepared to measure the fracture toughness of bovine femur and manatee rib in water at 0, 10, 23, 37 and 50°C. The fracture toughness of bovine femur and manatee rib were found to decrease from 7.0 to 4.3 MPa·m1/2 and from 5.5 to 4.1 MPa·m1/2, respectively, over a temperature range of 50°C. The decreases were attributed to inability of the organics to sustain greater stresses at higher temperatures. We studied the effects of water and organics on fracture toughness of bone using water-free and organics-free SEVN specimens at 23°C. Water-free and organics-free specimens were obtained by placing fresh bone specimen in a furnace at different temperatures. Water and organics significantly affected the fracture toughness of bone. Fracture toughness of the water-free specimens was 44.7% (bovine femur) and 32.4% (manatee rib) less than that of fresh-bone specimens. Fracture toughness of the organics-free specimens was 92.7% (bovine femur) and 91.5% (manatee rib) less than that of fresh bone specimens. Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) is widely used to study bone. However, bone often has small to moderate scale yielding during testing. We used J integral, an elastic-plastic fracture-mechanics parameter, to study the fracture process of bone. The J integral of bovine femur increased from 6.3 KJ/mm2 at 23°C to 6.7 KJ/mm2 at 37°C. Although the fracture toughness of bovine bone decreases as the temperature increases, the J integral results show a contrary trend. The energy spent in advancing the crack beyond the linear

Fracture Toughness Evaluation of Space Shuttle External Tank Thermal Protection System Polyurethane Foam Insulation Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGill, Preston; Wells, Doug; Morgan, Kristin

2006-01-01

Experimental evaluation of the basic fracture properties of Thermal Protection System (TPS) polyurethane foam insulation materials was conducted to validate the methodology used in estimating critical defect sizes in TPS applications on the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank. The polyurethane foam found on the External Tank (ET) is manufactured by mixing liquid constituents and allowing them to react and expand upwards - a process which creates component cells that are generally elongated in the foam rise direction and gives rise to mechanical anisotropy. Similarly, the application of successive foam layers to the ET produces cohesive foam interfaces (knitlines) which may lead to local variations in mechanical properties. This study reports the fracture toughness of BX-265, NCFI 24-124, and PDL-1034 closed-cell polyurethane foam as a function of ambient and cryogenic temperatures and knitline/cellular orientation at ambient pressure.

Comparison of irradiation-induced shifts of K{sub Jc} and Charpy impact toughness for reactor pressure vessel steels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sokolov, M.A.; Nanstad, R.K.

1999-10-01

The current provisions for determination of the upward temperature shift of the lower-bound static fracture toughness curve due to irradiation of reactor pressure vessel steels are based on the assumption that they are the same as the Charpy 41-J shifts as a consequence of irradiation. The objective of this paper is to evaluate this assumption relative to data reported in open publications. Depending on the specific source, different sizes of fracture toughness specimens, procedures of the K{sub Jc} determination, and fitting functions were used. It was anticipated that the scatter might be reduced by using a consistent approach to analyzemore » the published data. A method employing Weibull statistics is applied to analyze original fracture toughness data of unirradiated and irradiated pressure vessel steels. Application of the master curve concept is used to determine shifts of fracture toughness transition curves. A hyperbolic tangent function is used to fit charpy absorbed energy data. The fracture toughness shifts are compared to Charpy impact shifts evaluated with various criteria. Linear regression analysis showed that for weld metals, on average, the fracture toughness shift is the same as the Charpy 41-J temperature shift, while for base metals, on average, the fracture toughness shift at 41 J is 16% greater than the shift of the Charpy 41-J transition temperature, with both correlations having relatively large 95% confidence intervals.« less

An Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Vacuum Environment on the Fatigue Life, Fatigue-Crack-Growth Behavior, and Fracture Toughness of 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy. Ph.D. Thesis - North Carolina State Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, C. M.

1972-01-01

Axial load fatigue life, fatigue-crack propagation, and fracture toughness tests were conducted on 0.090-inch thick specimens made of 7075-T6 aluminum alloy. The fatigue life and fatigue-crack propagation experiments were conducted at a stress ratio of 0.02. Maximum stresses ranged from 33 to 60 ksi in the fatigue life experiments, and from 10 to 40 ksi in the fatigue-crack propagation experiments, and fatigue life experiments were conducted at gas pressures of 760, 0.5, 0.05, and 0.00000005 torr. Fatigue-crack-growth and fracture toughness experiments were conducted at gas pressures of 760 and 5 x 10 to the minus 8th power torr. Residual stress measurements were made on selected fatigue life specimens to determine the effect of such stresses on fatigue life. Analysis of the results from the fatigue life experiments indicated that fatigue life progressively increased as the gas pressure decreased. Analysis of the results from the fatigue-crack-growth experiments indicates that at low values of stress-intensity range, the fatigue crack growth rates were approximately twice as high in air as in vacuum. Fracture toughness data showed there was essentially no difference in the fracture toughness of 7075-T6 in vacuum and in air.

Fracture Toughness of Thin Plates by the Double-Torsion Test Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salem, Jonathan A.; Radovic, Miladin; Lara-Curzio, Edgar; Nelson, George

2006-01-01

Double torsion testing can produce fracture toughness values without crack length measurement that are comparable to those measured via standardized techniques such as the chevron-notch, surface-crack-in-flexure and precracked beam if the appropriate geometry is employed, and the material does not exhibit increasing crack growth resistance. Results to date indicate that 8 < W/d < 80 and L/W > 2 are required if crack length is not considered in stress intensity calculations. At L/W = 2, the normalized crack length should be 0.35 < a/L < 0.65; whereas for L/W = 3, 0.2 < a/L < 0.75 is acceptable. In addition, the load-points need to roll to reduce friction. For an alumina exhibiting increasing crack growth resistance, values corresponding to the plateau of the R-curve were measured. For very thin plates (W/d > 80) nonlinear effects were encountered.

Effect of composition on the tensile properties and fracture toughness of A7N01S-T5 aluminum alloys welded joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yali; Gou, Guoqing; Chen, Jia; Chen, Hui; Wang, Wanjng; Li, Xiaodong; Che, Xiaoli; Wang, Yirong

2017-07-01

In this paper, welded joints of four types of A7N01S-T5 aluminum alloy with different chemical compositions were investigated. The welding process was under 70% environmental humidity conditions at 10∘C with single-pulse GMAW welding technology. The strength and fracture toughness of the four types of samples were tested, and the microstructures were investigated by micro-X-ray fluorescence (SR-LXRF) technology and backscattered electron diffraction (EBSD) technology. The results showed that the #2 alloy that is composed of Zn: 4.59 wt.%, Mg: 1.56 wt.% Mn: 0.22 wt.%, Cr: 0.14 wt.%, Zr: 0.01 wt.% and Ti: 0.027 wt.% had the best combination of tensile strength and elongation, with the values of 302.35 MPa and 3.74%, respectively. The better result for the combination of the strength and elongation was mainly determined by the volume fraction and size. The fine grain size and compositions played important roles to obtain high fracture toughness.

The Use of Doublers in Delamination Toughness Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeder, James R.; Demarco, Kevin; Whitley, Karen S.

2002-01-01

In this paper, the data reduction equations for common delamination toughness tests are rederived for use with specimens which have bonded doublers. The common toughness tests considered here are the double cantilever beam (DCB) for mode I toughness; the end notch flexure (3ENF) and 4 point ENF (4ENF) for mode II toughness; and the mixed mode bending (MMB) test for testing under combined mode I and mode II loading. Because the addition of the doublers changes the bending stiffness of the specimens, these data reduction equations may need to be corrected. Doublers were added to the delamination test specimens to solve a premature failure problem. Delamination toughness is normally tested using a beam with an imbedded insert so that one end of the specimen is split into two arms. If the specimen is too thin, or if the toughness of the material is too high, an arm of the specimen may fail in bending before the delamination grows. When this occurs, the toughness of the material cannot be determined. To delay the bending failure so that delamination growth occurs, doubler plates were bonded to both top and bottom surfaces of the specimen. A doubler parameter, beta, which describes how much the use of doubler plates changed the ratio of full thickness to delaminated bending stiffnesses, was defined. When changes to the data reduction equations were required, the changes were minor when written in terms of the beta parameter. The doubler plate technique was demonstrated by measuring the mixed-mode fracture toughness of a carbon-carbon composite using test specimens which would otherwise have failed before delamination growth occurred. The doubler plate technique may solve several problems that can be encountered when testing delamination fracture toughness.

Fracture-tough, corrosion-resistant bearing steels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olson, Gregory B.

1990-01-01

The fundamental principles allowing design of stainless bearing steels with enhanced toughness and stress corrosion resistance has involved both investigation of basic phenomena in model alloys and evaluation of a prototype bearing steel based on a conceptual design exercise. Progress in model studies has included a scanning Auger microprobe (SAM) study of the kinetics of interfacial segregation of embrittling impurities which compete with the kinetics of alloy carbide precipitation in secondary hardening steels. These results can define minimum allowable carbide precipitation rates and/or maximum allowable free impurity contents in these ultrahigh strength steels. Characterization of the prototype bearing steel designed to combine precipitated austenite transformation toughening with secondary hardening shows good agreement between predicted and observed solution treatment response including the nature of the high temperature carbides. An approximate equilibrium constraint applied in the preliminary design calculations to maintain a high martensitic temperature proved inadequate, and the solution treated alloy remained fully austenitic down to liquid nitrogen temperature rather than transforming above 200 C. The alloy can be martensitically transformed by cryogenic deformation, and material so processed will be studied further to test predicted carbide and austenite precipitation behavior. A mechanistically-based martensitic kinetic model was developed and parameters are being evaluated from available kinetic data to allow precise control of martensitic temperatures of high alloy steels in future designs. Preliminary calculations incorporating the prototype stability results suggest that the transformation-toughened secondary-hardening martensitic-stainless design concept is still viable, but may require lowering Cr content to 9 wt. pct. and adding 0.5 to 1.0 wt. pct. Al. An alternative design approach based on strain-induced martensitic transformation during

Investigation of Microstructural Features Determining the Toughness of 980 MPa Bainitic Weld Metal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, R.; Zhang, X. B.; Wang, Z.; Peng, Y.; Du, W. S.; Tian, Z. L.; Chen, J. H.

2014-02-01

The microstructural features that control the impact toughness of weld metals of a 980 MPa 8 pct Ni high-strength steel are investigated using instrumented Charpy V tester, optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), and finite-element method (FEM) calculation. The results show that the critical event for cleavage fracture in this high-strength steel and weld metals is the propagation of a bainite packet-sized crack across the packet boundary into contiguous packets, and the bainitic packet sizes control the impact toughness. The high-angle misorientation boundaries detected in a bainite packet by EBSD form fine tear ridges on fracture surfaces. However, they are not the decisive factors controlling the cleavage fracture. The effects of Ni content are essential factors for improving the toughness. The extra large cleavage facets seriously deteriorate the toughness, which are formed on the interfaces of large columnar crystals growing in welding pools with high heat input.

The effect of microstructure and strength on the fracture toughness of an 18 Ni, 300 grade maraging steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Psioda, J. A.; Low, J. R., Jr.

1977-01-01

Fractography and metallographic sectioning were used to investigate the influence of microstructure and strength on the fracture toughness (KIc) and fracture mechanism of an 18 Ni, 300 grade maraging steel. Increased yield strength from 1442 to 2070 MN/m squared through precipitation hardening results in a KIc loss from 143 to 55 MN/m superscript 3/2. Ti (C,N) Ti2S, and TiC inclusions in sizes from 1 to 8, 1 to 15, and 0.1 to 2 microns respectively serve as sites for void nucleation and lead to fracture by the dimpled rupture process in all strength levels considered. TiC nucleated dimples occupy more than half the fracture in all conditions. Void nucleation rate and resultant number of dimples per unit area of fracture increase with increasing yield strength. Average dimple size decreases with increasing strength and/or overaging which follows from the decreasing amount of stable void growth measured by sectioning tensile specimens. Void growth is assisted by crack branching along a path of TiC inclusions. Coalescence occurs in the highest strength materials by a combination of TiC void nucleation and premature separation at strengthening precipitates.

iTOUGH2 v7.1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

FINSTERLE, STEFAN; JUNG, YOOJIN; KOWALSKY, MICHAEL

2016-09-15

iTOUGH2 (inverse TOUGH2) provides inverse modeling capabilities for TOUGH2, a simulator for multi-dimensional, multi-phase, multi-component, non-isothermal flow and transport in fractured porous media. iTOUGH2 performs sensitivity analyses, data-worth analyses, parameter estimation, and uncertainty propagation analyses in geosciences and reservoir engineering and other application areas. iTOUGH2 supports a number of different combinations of fluids and components (equation-of-state (EOS) modules). In addition, the optimization routines implemented in iTOUGH2 can also be used for sensitivity analysis, automatic model calibration, and uncertainty quantification of any external code that uses text-based input and output files using the PEST protocol. iTOUGH2 solves the inverse problem bymore » minimizing a non-linear objective function of the weighted differences between model output and the corresponding observations. Multiple minimization algorithms (derivative-free, gradient-based, and second-order; local and global) are available. iTOUGH2 also performs Latin Hypercube Monte Carlo simulations for uncertainty propagation analyses. A detailed residual and error analysis is provided. This upgrade includes (a) global sensitivity analysis methods, (b) dynamic memory allocation (c) additional input features and output analyses, (d) increased forward simulation capabilities, (e) parallel execution on multicore PCs and Linux clusters, and (f) bug fixes. More details can be found at http://esd.lbl.gov/iTOUGH2.« less

TOUGH3 v1.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

PAU, GEORGE; JUNG, YOOJIN; FINSTERLE, STEFAN

2016-09-14

TOUGH3 V1.0 capabilities to simulate multi-dimensional, multi-phase, multi-component, non-isothermal flow and transport in fractured porous media, with applications geosciences and reservoir engineering and other application areas. TOUGH3 V1.0 supports a number of different combinations of fluids and components (updated equation-of-state (EOS) modules from previous versions of TOUGH, including EOS1, EOS2, EOS3, EOS4, EOS5, EOS7, EOS7R, EOS7C, EOS7CA, EOS8, EOS9, EWASG, TMVOC, ECO2N, and ECO2M). This upgrade includes (a) expanded list of updated equation-of-state (EOS) modules, (b) new hysteresis models, (c) new implementation of parallel and solver functionalities, (d) new linear solver options based on PETSc libraries, (e) new automatic buildmore » system that automatically downloads and builds third-party libraries and TOUGH3, (f) new printout in CSV format, (g) dynamic memory allocation, (h) various user features, and (i) bug fixes.« less

Effects of microstructure on inverse fracture occurring during drop-weight tear testing of high-toughness X70 pipeline steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Byoungchul; Kim, Yang Gon; Lee, Sunghak; Kim, Nack J.; Yoo, Jang Yong

2005-02-01

The effects of microstructure on inverse fracture occurring in the hammer-impacted region were analyzed after conducting a drop-weight tear test (DWTT) on high-toughness pipeline steels. Three kinds of steels were fabricated by varying the alloying elements, and their microstructures were varied by the rolling conditions. The pressed-notch (PN) or chevron-notch (CN) DWTT and Charpy V-notch (CVN) impact tests were conducted on the rolled steel specimens, and the results were discussed in comparison with the data obtained from CVN tests of prestrained specimens. In the hammer-impacted region of the DWTT specimens, abnormal inverse fracture having a cleavage fracture mode appeared, and the inverse fracture area correlated well with the upper-shelf energy (USE) obtained from the CVN test and with the grain size. The steel specimens having a higher USE or having coarse polygonal ferrite tended to have a larger inverse fracture area than those having a lower USE or having fine acicular ferrite. This was because steels having a higher impact absorption energy required higher energy for fracture initiation and propagation during the DWTT. These results were confirmed by the CVN data of prestrained steel specimens.

Multiscale Multifunctional Progressive Fracture of Composite Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, C. C.; Minnetyan, L.

2012-01-01

A new approach is described for evaluating fracture in composite structures. This approach is independent of classical fracture mechanics parameters like fracture toughness. It relies on computational simulation and is programmed in a stand-alone integrated computer code. It is multiscale, multifunctional because it includes composite mechanics for the composite behavior and finite element analysis for predicting the structural response. It contains seven modules; layered composite mechanics (micro, macro, laminate), finite element, updating scheme, local fracture, global fracture, stress based failure modes, and fracture progression. The computer code is called CODSTRAN (Composite Durability Structural ANalysis). It is used in the present paper to evaluate the global fracture of four composite shell problems and one composite built-up structure. Results show that the composite shells. Global fracture is enhanced when internal pressure is combined with shear loads. The old reference denotes that nothing has been added to this comprehensive report since then.

Slow Crack Growth and Fracture Toughness of Sapphire for the International Space Station Fluids and Combustion Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salem, Jonathan A.

2006-01-01

The fracture toughness, inert flexural strength, and slow crack growth parameters of the r- and a-planes of sapphire grown by the Heat Exchange Method were measured to qualify sapphire for structural use in the International Space Station. The fracture toughness in dry nitrogen, K(sub Ipb), was 2.31 +/- 0.12 MPa(square root of)m and 2.47 +/- 0.15 MPa(squre root of)m for the a- and r-planes, respectively. Fracture toughness measured in water via the operational procedure in ASTM C1421 was significantly lower, K(sub Ivb) = 1.95+/- 0.03 MPa(square root of)m, 1.94 +/- 0.07 and 1.77 +/- 0.13 MPa(square root of)m for the a- , m- and r-planes, respectively. The mean inert flexural strength in dry nitrogen was 1085 +/- 127 MPa for the r-plane and 1255 +/- 547 MPa for the a-plane. The power law slow crack growth exponent for testing in water was n = 21 +/- 4 for the r-plane and n (greater than or equal to) 31 for the a-plane. The power law slow crack growth coefficient was A = 2.81 x 10(exp -14) m/s x (MPa(squre root of)m)/n for the r-plane and A (approx. equals)2.06 x 10(exp -15) m/s x (MPa(square root of)m)/n for the a-plane. The r- and a-planes of sapphire are relatively susceptible to stress corrosion induced slow crack growth in water. However, failure occurs by competing modes of slow crack growth at long failure times and twinning for short failure time and inert environments. Slow crack growth testing needs to be performed at low failure stress levels and long failure times so that twinning does not affect the results. Some difficulty was encountered in measuring the slow crack growth parameters for the a-plane due to a short finish (i.e., insufficient material removal for elimination of the damage generated in the early grinding stages). A consistent preparation method that increases the Weibull modulus of sapphire test specimens and components is needed. This would impart higher component reliability, even if higher Weibull modulus is gained at the sacrifice of

Fracture control procedures for aircraft structural integrity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, H. A.

1972-01-01

The application of applied fracture mechanics in the design, analysis, and qualification of aircraft structural systems are reviewed. Recent service experiences are cited. Current trends in high-strength materials application are reviewed with particular emphasis on the manner in which fracture toughness and structural efficiency may affect the material selection process. General fracture control procedures are reviewed in depth with specific reference to the impact of inspectability, structural arrangement, and material on proposed analysis requirements for safe crack growth. The relative impact on allowable design stress is indicated by example. Design criteria, material, and analysis requirements for implementation of fracture control procedures are reviewed together with limitations in current available data techniques. A summary of items which require further study and attention is presented.

Compliance calibration of the short rod chevron-notch specimen for fracture toughness testing of brittle materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubsey, R. T.; Pierce, W. S.; Shannon, J. L., Jr.; Munz, D.

1982-01-01

The short rod chevron-notch specimen has the advantages of (1) crack development at the chevron tip during the early stage of test loading, and (2) convenient calculation of plane-strain fracture toughness from the maximum test load and from a calibration factor which depends only on the specimen geometry and manner of loading. For generalized application, calibration of the specimen over a range of specimen proportions and chevron-notch configurations is necessary. Such was the objective of this investigation, wherein calibration of the short rod specimen was made by means of experimental compliance measurements converted into dimensionless stress intensity factor coefficients.

Changes in bone microstructure and toughness during the healing process of long bones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishimoto, T.; Nakano, T.; Umakoshi, Y.; Tabata, Y.

2009-05-01

It is of great importance to understand how bone defects regain the microstructure and mechanical function of bone and how the microstructure affects the mechanical function during the bone healing process. In the present study on long bone defects, we investigated the relationship between the recovery process of fracture toughness and biological apatite (BAp)/collagen (Col) alignment as an index of the bone microstructure to clarify the bone toughening mechanisms. A 5-mm defect introduced in the rabbit ulna was allowed to heal naturally and a three-point bending test was conducted on the regenerated site to assess bone toughness. The bone toughness was quite low at the early stage of bone regeneration but increased during the postoperative period. The change in toughness agreed well with the characteristics of the fracture surface morphology, which reflected the history of the crack propagation. SEM and microbeam X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that the toughness was dominated by the degree and orientation of the preferred BAp/Col alignment, i.e. bundles aligned perpendicular to the crack propagation clearly contributed to the bone toughening owing to extra energy consumption for resistance to crack propagation. In conclusion, regenerated bone improves fracture toughness by reconstructing the preferred BAp/Col alignment along the bone longitudinal axis during the healing process of long bones.

Laboratory measurement of tip and global behavior for zero-toughness hydraulic fractures with circular and blade-shaped (PKN) geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Pengju; Yoshioka, Keita; Adachi, Jose; El-Fayoumi, Amr; Bunger, Andrew P.

2017-07-01

The tip behavior of hydraulic fractures is characterized by a rich nesting of asymptotic solutions, comprising a formidable challenge for the development of efficient and accurate numerical simulators. We present experimental validation of several theoretically-predicted asymptotic behaviors, namely for hydraulic fracture growth under conditions of negligible fracture toughness, with growth progressing from early-time radial geometry to large-time blade-like (PKN) geometry. Our experimental results demonstrate: 1) existence of a asymptotic solution of the form w ∼ s3/2 (LEFM) in the near tip region, where w is the crack opening and s is the distance from the crack tip, 2) transition to an asymptotic solution of the form w ∼ s2/3 away from the near-tip region, with the transition length scale also consistent with theory, 3) transition to an asymptotic solution of the form w ∼ s1/3 after the fracture attains blade-like (PKN) geometry, and 4) existence of a region near the tip of a blade-like (PKN) hydraulic fracture in which plane strain conditions persist, with the thickness of this region of the same order as the crack height.

Bonding measurement -Strength and fracture mechanics approaches.

PubMed

Anunmana, Chuchai; Wansom, Wiroj

2017-07-26

This study investigated the effect of cross-sectional areas on interfacial fracture toughness and bond strength of bilayered dental ceramics. Zirconia core ceramics were veneered and cut to produce specimens with three different cross-sectional areas. Additionally, monolithic specimens of glass veneer were also prepared. The specimens were tested in tension until fracture at the interface and reported as bond strength. Fracture surfaces were observed, and the apparent interfacial toughness was determined from critical crack size and failure stress. The results showed that cross-sectional area had no effect on the interfacial toughness whereas such factor had a significant effect on interfacial bond strength. The study revealed that cross-sectional area had no effect on the interfacial toughness, but had a significant effect on interfacial bond strength. The interfacial toughness may be a more reliable indicator for interfacial bond quality than interfacial bond strength.

Evaluation of fracture toughness master curve shifts for JMTR irradiated F82H using small specimens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, T.; Odette, G. R.; Gragg, D.; Kurishita, H.; Matsui, H.; Yang, W. J.; Narui, M.; Yamazaki, M.

2007-08-01

Small to ultra-small 1/3 size pre-cracked Charpy and 1.65 × 1.65 × 9 mm deformation and fracture minibeam (DFMB) specimens of the F82H IEA heat were irradiated to 0.02 and 0.12 dpa at 290 °C in the Japanese Materials Test Reactor. Nominal cleavage transition temperature shifts, based on the measured toughness, KJm( T), data (Δ Tm) as well as reference temperature shifts (Δ T0) found after size-adjusting the KJm( T) data yielded Δ Tm/0 ≈ 27 ± 10 and 44 ± 10 at the two doses, respectively. Using measured yield stress changes (Δ σy), the C0 = Δ T0/Δ σy = 0.58 ± 0.14 at 0.12 dpa, is in good agreement with data in the literature. The dynamic transition temperature shift, Δ Td, derived from DFMB tests, was ≈30 ± 20 °C at 0.1 dpa, also in good agreement with the estimated Δ T0 shifts. The Δ Td and Δ T0 are also in excellent agreement with a Δ T0 = C 0Δ σy (dpa, Ti) hardening-shift model, where the Δ σy (dpa, Ti) was found by fitting a large database of tensile properties.

Influence of the resin on interlaminar mixed-mode fracture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, W. S.; Mangalgiri, P. D.

1987-01-01

Both literature review data and new data on toughness behavior of seven matrix and adhesive systems in four types of tests were studied in order to assess the influence of the resin on interlaminar fracture. Mixed mode (i.e., various combinations of opening mode 1, G sub 1, and shearing mode 2; G sub 2) fracture toughness data showed that the mixed mode relationship for failure appears to be linear in terms of G sub 1 and G sub 2. The study further indicates that fracture of brittle resins is controlled by the G sub 1 component, and that fracture of many tough resins is controlled by total strain-energy release rate, G sub T. Regarding the relation of polymer structure and the mixed mode fracture: high mode 1 toughness requires resin dilatation; dilatation is low in unmodified epoxies at room temperature/dry conditions; dilatation is higher in plasticized epoxies, heated epoxies, and in modified epoxies; modification improves mode 2 toughness only slightly compared with mode 1 improvements. Analytical aspects of the cracked lap shear test specimen were explored.

Influence of the resin on interlaminar mixed-mode fracture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, W. S.; Mangalgiri, P. D.

1985-01-01

Both literature review data and new data on toughness behavior of seven matrix and adhesive systems in four types of tests were studied in order to assess the influence of the resin on interlaminar fracture. Mixed mode (i.e., various combinations of opening mode 1, G sub 1, and shearing mode 2; G sub 2) fracture toughness data showed that the mixed mode relationship for failure appears to be linear in terms of G sub 1 and G sub 2. The study further indicates that fracture of brittle resins is controlled by the G sub 1 component, and that fracture of many tough resins is controlled by total strain-energy release rate, G sub T. Regarding the relation of polymer structure and the mixed mode fracture: high mode 1 toughness requires resin dilatation; dilatation is low in unmodified epoxies at room temperature/dry conditions; dilatation is higher in plasticized epoxies, heated epoxies, and in modified epoxies; modification improves mode 2 toughness only slightly compared with mode 1 improvements. Analytical aspects of the cracked lap shear test specimen were explored.

Fracture behavior of hybrid composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kennedy, J. M.

1983-01-01

The tensile fracture behavior of 15 center-notched hybrid laminates was studied. Three basic laminate groups were tested: (1) a baseline group with graphite/epoxy plies, (2) a group with the same stacking sequence but where the zero-deg plies were one or two plies of S-glass or Kevlar, and (3) a group with graphite plies but where the zero-deg plies were sandwiched between layers of perforated Mylar. Specimens were loaded linearly with time; load, far field strain, and crack opening displacement (COD) were monitored. The loading was stopped periodically and the notched region was radiographed to reveal the extent and type of damage (failure progression). Results of the tests showed that the hybrid laminates had higher fracture toughnesses than comparable all-graphite laminates. The higher fracture toughness was due primarily to the larger damage region at the ends of the slit; delamination and splitting lowered the stress concentration in the primary load-carrying plies. A linear elastic fracture analysis, which ignored delamination and splitting, underestimated the fracture toughness. For almost all of the laminates, the tests showed that the fracture toughness increased with crack length. The size of the damage region at the ends of the slit and COD measurements also increased with crack length.

Fracture of ECAP-deformed iron and the role of extrinsic toughening mechanisms

PubMed Central

Hohenwarter, A.; Pippan, R.

2013-01-01

The fracture behaviour of pure iron deformed by equal-channel angular pressing via route A was examined. The fracture toughness was determined for different specimen orientations and measured in terms of the critical plane strain fracture toughness, KIC, the critical J integral, JIC, and the crack opening displacement for crack initiation, CODi. The results demonstrate that the crack plane orientation has a pronounced effect on the fracture toughness. Different crack plane orientations lead to either crack deflection or delamination, resulting in increased fracture resistance in comparison to one remarkably weak specimen orientation. The relation between the microstructure typical for the applied deformation route and the enormous differences in the fracture toughness depending on the crack plane orientation will be analyzed in this paper. PMID:23645995

Gravity-Driven Hydraulic Fractures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Germanovich, L. N.; Garagash, D.; Murdoch, L. C.; Robinowitz, M.

2014-12-01

This study is motived by a new method for disposing of nuclear waste by injecting it as a dense slurry into a hydraulic fracture that grows downward to great enough depth to permanently isolate the waste. Disposing of nuclear waste using gravity-driven hydraulic fractures is mechanically similar to the upward growth of dikes filled with low density magma. A fundamental question in both applications is how the injected fluid controls the propagation dynamics and fracture geometry (depth and breadth) in three dimensions. Analog experiments in gelatin [e.g., Heimpel and Olson, 1994; Taisne and Tait, 2009] show that fracture breadth (the short horizontal dimension) remains nearly stationary when the process in the fracture "head" (where breadth is controlled) is dominated by solid toughness, whereas viscous fluid dissipation is dominant in the fracture tail. We model propagation of the resulting gravity-driven (buoyant or sinking), finger-like fracture of stationary breadth with slowly varying opening along the crack length. The elastic response to fluid loading in a horizontal cross-section is local and can be treated similar to the classical Perkins-Kern-Nordgren (PKN) model of hydraulic fracturing. The propagation condition for a finger-like crack is based on balancing the global energy release rate due to a unit crack extension with the rock fracture toughness. It allows us to relate the net fluid pressure at the tip to the fracture breadth and rock toughness. Unlike the PKN fracture, where breadth is known a priori, the final breadth of a finger-like fracture is a result of processes in the fracture head. Because the head is much more open than the tail, viscous pressure drop in the head can be neglected leading to a 3D analog of Weertman's hydrostatic pulse. This requires relaxing the local elasticity assumption of the PKN model in the fracture head. As a result, we resolve the breadth, and then match the viscosity-dominated tail with the 3-D, toughness

Cyclic fatigue-crack propagation, stress-corrosion, and fracture-toughness behavior in pyrolytic carbon-coated graphite for prosthetic heart valve applications.

PubMed

Ritchie, R O; Dauskardt, R H; Yu, W K; Brendzel, A M

1990-02-01

Fracture-mechanics tests were performed to characterize the cyclic fatigue, stress-corrosion cracking, and fracture-toughness behavior of a pyrolytic carbon-coated graphite composite material used in the manufacture of cardiac valve prostheses. Testing was carried out using compact tension C(T) samples containing "atomically" sharp precracks, both in room-temperature air and principally in a simulated physiological environment of 37 degrees C Ringer's lactate solution. Under sustained (monotonic) loads, the composite exhibited resistance-curve behavior, with a fracture toughness (KIc) between 1.1 and 1.9 MPa square root of m, and subcritical stress-corrosion crack velocities (da/dt) which were a function of the stress intensity K raised to the 74th power (over the range approximately 10(-9) to over 10(-5) m/s). More importantly, contrary to common perception, under cyclic loading conditions the composite was found to display true (cyclic) fatigue failure in both environments; fatigue-crack growth rates (da/dN) were seen to be a function of the 19th power of the stress-intensity range delta K (over the range approximately 10(-11) to over 10(-8) m/cycle). As subcritical crack velocities under cyclic loading were found to be many orders of magnitude faster than those measured under equivalent monotonic loads and to occur at typically 45% lower stress-intensity levels, cyclic fatigue in pyrolytic carbon-coated graphite is reasoned to be a vital consideration in the design and life-prediction procedures of prosthetic devices manufactured from this material.

Mini-interfacial fracture toughness as a new validated enamel-bonding effectiveness test.

PubMed

Pongprueksa, Pong; De Munck, Jan; Barreto, Bruno C; Karunratanakul, Kavin; Van Meerbeek, Bart

2016-09-01

Today׳s most commonly applied bonding effectiveness tests are criticized for their high variability and low reliability, the latter in particular with regard to measuring the actual strength of the adhesive interface. in continuation of previous research conducted at dentin, we hereby aimed to validate the novel mini-interfacial fracture toughness (mini-iFT) test on its applicability to assess bonding effectiveness of contemporary adhesives when bonded to enamel. The 3-step etch&rinse (E&R) adhesive OptiBond FL (Kerr), the 2-step self-etch (SE) adhesive Clearfil SE Bond (Kuraray Noritake) and the two multi-mode adhesives Clearfil S(3) Bond Plus (Kuraray Noritake) and Scotchbond Universal (3M ESPE), both used following a 2-step E&R and 1-step SE mode, were applied to clinically relevant, flattened enamel surfaces. A composite (Filtek Z100; 3M ESPE) build-up was made in layers. After 1-week water storage at 37°C, all specimens were sectioned perpendicular to the interface to obtain rectangular sticks. A mini-iFT notch was prepared at the adhesive-enamel interface using a thin diamond blade under water cooling. Finally, the specimens were loaded in a 4-point bending test until failure. the mini-iFT onto human enamel was significantly higher for the adhesives applied in E&R mode versus those applied in SE mode. The lowest mini-iFT was found for the adhesives applied following a 1-step SE approach. SEM fracture analysis revealed that all fractures originated at the adhesive-enamel interface and that the induced crack propagated preferentially along this interface. mini-iFT appeared a valid alternative method to assess the mechanical properties of adhesive-enamel interfaces. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An ORMOSIL-Containing Orthodontic Acrylic Resin with Concomitant Improvements in Antimicrobial and Fracture Toughness Properties

PubMed Central

Rueggeberg, Frederick A.; Niu, Li-na; Mettenberg, Donald; Yiu, Cynthia K. Y.; Blizzard, John D.; Wu, Christine D.; Mao, Jing; Drisko, Connie L.; Pashley, David H.; Tay, Franklin R.

2012-01-01

Global increase in patients seeking orthodontic treatment creates a demand for the use of acrylic resins in removable appliances and retainers. Orthodontic removable appliance wearers have a higher risk of oral infections that are caused by the formation of bacterial and fungal biofilms on the appliance surface. Here, we present the synthetic route for an antibacterial and antifungal organically-modified silicate (ORMOSIL) that has multiple methacryloloxy functionalities attached to a siloxane backbone (quaternary ammonium methacryloxy silicate, or QAMS). By dissolving the water-insoluble, rubbery ORMOSIL in methyl methacrylate, QAMS may be copolymerized with polymethyl methacrylate, and covalently incorporated in the pressure-processed acrylic resin. The latter demonstrated a predominantly contact-killing effect on Streptococcus mutans ATCC 36558 and Actinomyces naselundii ATCC 12104 biofilms, while inhibiting adhesion of Candida albicans ATCC 90028 on the acrylic surface. Apart from its favorable antimicrobial activities, QAMS-containing acrylic resins exhibited decreased water wettability and improved toughness, without adversely affecting the flexural strength and modulus, water sorption and solubility, when compared with QAMS-free acrylic resin. The covalently bound, antimicrobial orthodontic acrylic resin with improved toughness represents advancement over other experimental antimicrobial acrylic resin formulations, in its potential to simultaneously prevent oral infections during appliance wear, and improve the fracture resistance of those appliances. PMID:22870322

Mechanical Behavior of Tough Hydrogels for Structural Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Illeperuma, Widusha Ruwangi Kaushalya

Hydrogels are widely used in many commercial products including Jell-O, contact lenses, and superabsorbent diapers. In recent decades, hydrogels have been under intense development for biomedical applications, such as scaffolds in tissue engineering, carriers for drug delivery, and valves in microfluidic systems. But the scope is severely limited as conventional hydrogels are weak and brittle and are not very stretchable. This thesis investigates the approaches that enhance the mechanical properties of hydrogels and their structural applications. We discov¬ered a class of exceptionally stretchable and tough hydrogels made from poly-mers that form networks via ionic and covalent crosslinks. Although such a hydrogel contains ~90% water, it can be stretched beyond 20 times its initial length, and has a fracture energy of ~9000 J/m2. The combination of large stretchability, remarkable toughness, and recoverability of stiffness and toughness, along with easy synthesis makes this material much superior over existing hydrogels. Extreme stretchability and blunted crack tips of these hydrogels question the validity of traditional fracture testing methods. We re-examine a widely used pure shear test method to measure the fracture energy. With the experimental and simulation results, we conclude that the pure shear test method can be used to measure fracture energy of extremely stretchable materials. Even though polyacrylamide-alginate hydrogels have an extremely high toughness, it has a relatively low stiffness and strength. We improved the stiffness and strength by embedding fibers. Most hydrogels are brittle, allowing the fibers to cut through the hydrogel when the composite is loaded. But tough hydrogel composites do not fail by the fibers cutting the hydrogel; instead, it undergoes large deforming by fibers sliding through the matrix. Hydrogels were not considered as materials for structural applications. But with enhanced mechanical properties, they have opened up

Aspects of fracture mechanics in cryogenic model design. Part 2: NTF materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, J. C., Jr.; Lisagor, W. B.

1983-01-01

Results of fatigue crack growth and fracture toughness tests conducted on three candidate materials are presented. Fatigue crack growth and fracture toughness tests were conducted on NITRONIC 40 at room temperature and -275 F. Fracture toughness tests were also conducted on Vascomax 200 and 250 maraging steel from room temperature to -320 F. NITRONIC 40 was used to make the Pathfinder 1 model. The fatigue crack growth rate tests were conducted at room temperature and -275 F on three-point notch bend specimens. The fracture toughness tests on the as received and stress relieved materials at -275 F were conducted on the center crack tension specimens. Toughness tests were also conducted on Vascomax CVM-200 and CVM-250 maraging steel from room temperature to -320 F using round and rectangular compact specimens.

Atomic and vibrational origins of mechanical toughness in bioactive cement during setting

PubMed Central

Tian, Kun V.; Yang, Bin; Yue, Yuanzheng; Bowron, Daniel T.; Mayers, Jerry; Donnan, Robert S.; Dobó-Nagy, Csaba; Nicholson, John W.; Fang, De-Cai; Greer, A. Lindsay; Chass, Gregory A.; Greaves, G. Neville

2015-01-01

Bioactive glass ionomer cements (GICs) have been in widespread use for ∼40 years in dentistry and medicine. However, these composites fall short of the toughness needed for permanent implants. Significant impediment to improvement has been the requisite use of conventional destructive mechanical testing, which is necessarily retrospective. Here we show quantitatively, through the novel use of calorimetry, terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and neutron scattering, how GIC's developing fracture toughness during setting is related to interfacial THz dynamics, changing atomic cohesion and fluctuating interfacial configurations. Contrary to convention, we find setting is non-monotonic, characterized by abrupt features not previously detected, including a glass–polymer coupling point, an early setting point, where decreasing toughness unexpectedly recovers, followed by stress-induced weakening of interfaces. Subsequently, toughness declines asymptotically to long-term fracture test values. We expect the insight afforded by these in situ non-destructive techniques will assist in raising understanding of the setting mechanisms and associated dynamics of cementitious materials. PMID:26548704

Effect of Bimodal Grain Size Distribution on Scatter in Toughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarti, Debalay; Strangwood, Martin; Davis, Claire

2009-04-01

Blunt-notch tests were performed at -160 °C to investigate the effect of a bimodal ferrite grain size distribution in steel on cleavage fracture toughness, by comparing local fracture stress values for heat-treated microstructures with uniformly fine, uniformly coarse, and bimodal grain structures. An analysis of fracture stress values indicates that bimodality can have a significant effect on toughness by generating high scatter in the fracture test results. Local cleavage fracture values were related to grain size distributions and it was shown that the largest grains in the microstructure, with an area percent greater than approximately 4 pct, gave rise to cleavage initiation. In the case of the bimodal grain size distribution, the large grains from both the “fine grain” and “coarse grain” population initiate cleavage; this spread in grain size values resulted in higher scatter in the fracture stress than in the unimodal distributions. The notch-bend test results have been used to explain the difference in scatter in the Charpy energies for the unimodal and bimodal ferrite grain size distributions of thermomechanically controlled rolled (TMCR) steel, in which the bimodal distribution showed higher scatter in the Charpy impact transition (IT) region.

Investigation of Mechanical Properties and Fracture Simulation of Solution-Treated AA 5754

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Pankaj; Singh, Akhilendra

2017-10-01

In this work, mechanical properties and fracture toughness of as-received and solution-treated aluminum alloy 5754 (AA 5754) are experimentally evaluated. Solution heat treatment of the alloy is performed at 530 °C for 2 h, and then, quenching is done in water. Yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, impact toughness, hardness, fatigue life, brittle fracture toughness (K_{Ic} ) and ductile fracture toughness (J_{Ic} ) are evaluated for as-received and solution-treated alloy. Extended finite element method has been used for the simulation of tensile and fracture behavior of material. Heaviside function and asymptotic crack tip enrichment functions are used for modelling of the crack in the geometry. Ramberg-Osgood material model coupled with fracture energy is used to simulate the crack propagation. Fracture surfaces obtained from various mechanical tests are characterized by scanning electron microscopy.

iTOUGH2 V6.5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finsterle, Stefan A.

2010-11-01

iTOUGH2 (inverse TOUGH2) provides inverse modeling capabilities for TOUGH2, a simulator for multi-dimensional , multi-phase, multi-component, non-isothermal flow and transport in fractured porous media. It performs sensitivity analysis, parameter estimation, and uncertainty propagation, analysis in geosciences and reservoir engineering and other application areas. It supports a number of different combination of fluids and components [equation-of-state (EOS) modules]. In addition, the optimization routines implemented in iTOUGH2 can also be used or sensitivity analysis, automatic model calibration, and uncertainty quantification of any external code that uses text-based input and output files. This link is achieved by means of the PEST application programmingmore » interface. iTOUGH2 solves the inverse problem by minimizing a non-linear objective function of the weighted differences between model output and the corresponding observations. Multiple minimization algorithms (derivative fee, gradient-based and second-order; local and global) are available. iTOUGH2 also performs Latin Hypercube Monte Carlos simulation for uncertainty propagation analysis. A detailed residual and error analysis is provided. This upgrade includes new EOS modules (specifically EOS7c, ECO2N and TMVOC), hysteretic relative permeability and capillary pressure functions and the PEST API. More details can be found at http://esd.lbl.gov/iTOUGH2 and the publications cited there. Hardware Req.: Multi-platform; Related/auxiliary software PVM (if running in parallel).« less

Interlaminar fracture of random short-fiber SMC composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, S. S.; Suemasu, H.; Zahlan, N. M.

1984-01-01

In the experimental phase of the present study of the interlaminar fracture behavior of a randomly oriented short fiber sheet molding compound (SMC) composite, the double cantilever beam fracture test is used to evaluate the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of different composite thicknesses. In the analytical phase of this work, a geometrically nonlinear analysis is introduced in order to account for large deflections and nonlinear load deflection curves in the evaluation of interlaminar fracture toughness. For the SMC-R50 material studied, interlaminar toughness is an order of magnitude higher than that of unreinforced neat resin, due to unusual damage mechanisms ahead of the crack tip, together with significant fiber bridging across crack surfaces. Composite thickness effects on interlaminar fracture are noted to be appreciable, and a detailed discussion is given on the influence of SMC microstructure.

Mode I Toughness Measurements of Core/Facesheet Bonds in Honeycomb Sandwich Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nettles, Alan T.; Ratcliffe, James G.

2006-01-01

Composite sandwich structures will be used in many future applications in aerospace, marine and offshore industries due to the fact that the strength and stiffness to mass ratios surpass any other structural type. Sandwich structure also offers advantages over traditional stiffened panels such as ease of manufacturing and repair. During the last three decades, sandwich structure has been used extensively for secondary structure in aircraft (fuselage floors, rudders and radome structure). Sandwich structure is also used as primary structure in rotorcraft, the most common example being the trailing edge of rotor blades. As with other types of composite construction, sandwich structure exhibits several types of failure mode such as facesheet wrinkling, core crushing and sandwich buckling. Facesheet/core debonding has also been observed in the marine and aerospace industry. During this failure mode, peel stresses applied to an existing facesheet/core debond or an interface low in toughness, results in the facesheet being peeled from the core material, possibly leading to a significant loss in structural integrity of the sandwich panel. In an incident during a test on a liquid hydrogen fuel tank of the X-33 prototype vehicle, the outer graphite/epoxy facesheet and honeycomb core became debonded from the inner facesheet along significant areas, leading to failure of the tank. As a consequence of the accident; significant efforts were made to characterize the toughness of the facesheet/core bond. Currently, the only standardized method available for assessing the quality of the facesheet/core interface is the climbing drum peel test (ASTM D1781). During this test a sandwich beam is removed from a panel and the lip of one of the facesheets is attached to a drum, as shown in Fig. 1. The drum is then rotated along the sandwich beam, causing the facesheet to peel from the core. This method has two major drawbacks. First, it is not possible to obtain quantitative fracture data

Numerical analysis of fracture propagation during hydraulic fracturing operations in shale gas systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Researchers used the TOUGH+ geomechanics computational software and simulation system to examine the likelihood of hydraulic fracture propagation (the spread of fractures) traveling long distances to connect with drinking water aquifers.

Fracture toughness of brittle materials determined with chevron notch specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shannon, J. L., Jr.; Bursey, R. T.; Munz, D.; Pierce, W. S.

1980-01-01

The use of chevron-notch specimens for determining the plane strain fracture toughness (K sub Ic) of brittle materials is discussed. Three chevron-notch specimens were investigated: short bar, short rod, and four-point-bend. The dimensionless stress intensity coefficient used in computing K sub Ic is derived for the short bar specimen from the superposition of ligament-dependent and ligament-independent solutions for the straight through crack, and also from experimental compliance calibrations. Coefficients for the four-point-bend specimen were developed by the same superposition procedure, and with additional refinement using the slice model of Bluhm. Short rod specimen stress intensity coefficients were determined only by experimental compliance calibration. Performance of the three chevron-notch specimens and their stress intensity factor relations were evaluated by tests on hot-pressed silicon nitride and sintered aluminum oxide. Results obtained with the short bar and the four-point-bend specimens on silicon nitride are in good agreement and relatively free of specimen geometry and size effects within the range investigated. Results on aluminum oxide were affected by specimen size and chevron-notch geometry, believed due to a rising crack growth resistance curve for the material. Only the results for the short bar specimen are presented in detail.

On the mode I fracture analysis of cracked Brazilian disc using a digital image correlation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abshirini, Mohammad; Soltani, Nasser; Marashizadeh, Parisa

2016-03-01

Mode I of fracture of centrally cracked Brazilian disc was investigated experimentally using a digital image correlation (DIC) method. Experiments were performed on PMMA polymers subjected to diametric-compression load. The displacement fields were determined by a correlation between the reference and the deformed images captured before and during loading. The stress intensity factors were calculated by displacement fields using William's equation and the least square algorithm. The parameters involved in the accuracy of SIF calculation such as number of terms in William's equation and the region of analysis around the crack were discussed. The DIC results were compared with the numerical results available in literature and a very good agreement between them was observed. By extending the tests up to the critical state, mode I fracture toughness was determined by analyzing the image of specimen captured at the moment before fracture. The results showed that the digital image correlation was a reliable technique for the calculation of the fracture toughness of brittle materials.

Strength and toughness of structural fibres for composite material reinforcement.

PubMed

Herráez, M; Fernández, A; Lopes, C S; González, C

2016-07-13

The characterization of the strength and fracture toughness of three common structural fibres, E-glass, AS4 carbon and Kevlar KM2, is presented in this work. The notched specimens were prepared by means of selective carving of individual fibres by means of the focused ion beam. A straight-fronted edge notch was introduced in a plane perpendicular to the fibre axis, with the relative notch depth being a0/D≈0.1 and the notch radius at the tip approximately 50 nm. The selection of the appropriate beam current during milling operations was performed to avoid to as much as possible any microstructural changes owing to ion impingement. Both notched and un-notched fibres were submitted to uniaxial tensile tests up to failure. The strength of the un-notched fibres was characterized in terms of the Weibull statistics, whereas the residual strength of the notched fibres was used to determine their apparent toughness. To this end, the stress intensity factor of a fronted edge crack was computed by means of the finite-element method for different crack lengths. The experimental results agreed with those reported in the literature for polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibres obtained by using similar techniques. After mechanical testing, the fracture surface of the fibres was analysed to ascertain the failure mechanisms. It was found that AS4 carbon and E-glass fibres presented the lower toughness with fracture surfaces perpendicular to the fibre axis, emanating from the notch tip. The fractured region of Kevlar KM2 fibres extended along the fibre and showed large permanent deformation, which explains their higher degree of toughness when compared with carbon and glass fibres. This article is part of the themed issue 'Multiscale modelling of the structural integrity of composite materials'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Strength and toughness of structural fibres for composite material reinforcement

PubMed Central

Herráez, M.; Fernández, A.; Lopes, C. S.

2016-01-01

The characterization of the strength and fracture toughness of three common structural fibres, E-glass, AS4 carbon and Kevlar KM2, is presented in this work. The notched specimens were prepared by means of selective carving of individual fibres by means of the focused ion beam. A straight-fronted edge notch was introduced in a plane perpendicular to the fibre axis, with the relative notch depth being a0/D≈0.1 and the notch radius at the tip approximately 50 nm. The selection of the appropriate beam current during milling operations was performed to avoid to as much as possible any microstructural changes owing to ion impingement. Both notched and un-notched fibres were submitted to uniaxial tensile tests up to failure. The strength of the un-notched fibres was characterized in terms of the Weibull statistics, whereas the residual strength of the notched fibres was used to determine their apparent toughness. To this end, the stress intensity factor of a fronted edge crack was computed by means of the finite-element method for different crack lengths. The experimental results agreed with those reported in the literature for polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibres obtained by using similar techniques. After mechanical testing, the fracture surface of the fibres was analysed to ascertain the failure mechanisms. It was found that AS4 carbon and E-glass fibres presented the lower toughness with fracture surfaces perpendicular to the fibre axis, emanating from the notch tip. The fractured region of Kevlar KM2 fibres extended along the fibre and showed large permanent deformation, which explains their higher degree of toughness when compared with carbon and glass fibres. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Multiscale modelling of the structural integrity of composite materials’. PMID:27242306

Effect of grain growth of [beta]-silicon nitride on strength, Weibull modulus, and fracture toughness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hirosaki, Naota; Akimune, Yoshio; Mitomo, Mamoru

1993-07-01

[beta]-Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] powder containing 1 mol% of equimolar Y[sub 2]O[sub 3]-Nd[sub 2]O[sub 3] was gas-pressure sintered at 2,000C for 2 h (SN2), 4 h (SN4), and 8 h (SN8) in 30-MPa nitrogen gas. These materials had a microstructure of in-situ composites'' as a result of exaggerated grain growth of some [beta]-Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] grains during firing. Growth of elongated grains was controlled by the sintering time, so that the desired microstructures were obtained. SN2 had a Weibull modulus as high as 53 because of the uniform size and spatial distribution of its large grains. SN4 had a fracture toughnessmore » of 10.3 MPa[center dot]m[sup 1/2] because of toughening provided by the bridging of elongated grains, whereas SN8 showed a lower fracture toughness, possibly caused by extensive microcracking resulting from excessively large grains. Gas-pressure sintering of [beta]-Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] powder was shown to be effective in fostering selective grain growth for obtaining the desired composite microstructure.« less

Performance and biocompatibility of extremely tough alginate/polyacrylamide hydrogels.

PubMed

Darnell, Max C; Sun, Jeong-Yun; Mehta, Manav; Johnson, Christopher; Arany, Praveen R; Suo, Zhigang; Mooney, David J

2013-11-01

Although hydrogels now see widespread use in a host of applications, low fracture toughness and brittleness have limited their more broad use. As a recently described interpenetrating network (IPN) of alginate and polyacrylamide demonstrated a fracture toughness of ≈ 9000 J/m(2), we sought to explore the biocompatibility and maintenance of mechanical properties of these hydrogels in cell culture and in vivo conditions. These hydrogels can sustain a compressive strain of over 90% with minimal loss of Young's Modulus as well as minimal swelling for up to 50 days of soaking in culture conditions. Mouse mesenchymal stem cells exposed to the IPN gel-conditioned media maintain high viability, and although cells exposed to conditioned media demonstrate slight reductions in proliferation and metabolic activity (WST assay), these effects are abrogated in a dose-dependent manner. Implantation of these IPN hydrogels into subcutaneous tissue of rats for 8 weeks led to mild fibrotic encapsulation and minimal inflammatory response. These results suggest the further exploration of extremely tough alginate/PAAM IPN hydrogels as biomaterials. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical Properties and Fracture Toughness Assessment of M795 and M549 155 mm Artillery Projectile Bodies Manufactured from HF-1 Steel

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

body, fracture toughness values determined using A(T) specimens agreed well with values reported elsewhere determined using Charpy - sized three point...values reported elsewhere determined using Charpy - sized three point bend (3PB) specimens. For the M795 body, however, good agreement was obtained for...the projectile wall, viz. the transverse and the longitudinal directions. Arc- tension, A(T), and pre-cracked Charpy three point bend, 3PB, specimens

Impact toughness of layered VT6 alloy semiproducts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganeeva, A. A.; Kruglov, A. A.; Lutfullin, R. Ya.

2010-10-01

Layered semiproducts produced by pressure welding of sheet workpieces of a VT6 titanium alloy are studied. Possible methods of achieving isotropic mechanical properties of the semiproducts are discussed. The pores that are present in solid-phase joint zones are found not to influence the impact toughness of the samples in which layers lie perpendicular to a notch. The fracture surface has a ductile character with certain fracture zones.

Infant skull fracture (image)

MedlinePlus

Skull fractures may occur with head injuries. Although the skull is both tough and resilient and provides excellent ... or blow can result in fracture of the skull and may be accompanied by injury to the ...

Development of structural ceramics having large crack-healing ability and fracture toughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Koji; Yokouchi, Masahiro; Lee, Sang-Kee; Ando, Kotoji

2004-02-01

Al2O3 reinforced by SiC whiskers (Al2O3/SiC-W) was hot pressed to investigate the crack-healing behavior. Semi-elliptical surface cracks of 50 to 450μm in surface length were introduced using a Vickers indenter. The specimens containing pre-cracks were crack-healed at temperatures between 1000°C and 1300°C for 1h in air, and their strengths were measured by three-point bending tests at room temperature and elevated temperatures between 400°C and 1300°C. The results show that Al2O3/SiC-W possesses considerable crack-healing ability. The surface cracks with length of 2c=100μm could be healed by crack-healing at 1200°C or 1300°C for 1h in air. The maximum crack size that can be healed for Al2O3/SiC-W is 2c=200μm. Fracture toughness of the material was also determined. As expected, the SiC whiskers made their Al2O3 tougher.

Preface to the Special Issue on TOUGH Symposium 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanco-Martín, Laura

2017-11-01

The TOUGH Symposium 2015 was held in Berkeley, California, September 28-30, 2015. The TOUGH family of codes, developed at the Energy Geosciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), is a suite of computer programs for the simulation of multiphase and multicomponent fluid and heat flows in porous and fractured media with applications in many geosciences fields, such as geothermal reservoir engineering, nuclear waste disposal, geological carbon sequestration, oil and gas reservoirs, gas hydrate research, vadose zone hydrology and environmental remediation. Since the first release in the 1980s, many modifications and enhancements have been continuously made to TOUGH and its various descendants (iTOUGH2, TOUGH+, TOUGH-MP, TOUGHREACT, TOUGH+HYDRATE, TMVOC...), at LBNL and elsewhere. Today, these codes are used worldwide in academia, government organizations and private companies in problems involving coupled hydrological, thermal, biogeochemical and geomechanical processes. The Symposia, organized every 2-3 years, bring together developers and users for an open exchange on recent code enhancements and applications. In 2015, the Symposium was attended by one hundred participants, representing thirty-four nationalities. This Special Issue in Computers & Geosciences gathers extended versions of selected Symposium proceedings related to (i) recent enhancements to the TOUGH family of codes and (ii) coupled flow and geomechanics processes modeling.

Fracture behavior of silica nanoparticle filled epoxy resin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dittanet, Peerapan

This dissertation involves the addition of silica nanoparticles to a lightly crosslinked, model epoxy resin and investigates the effect of nanosilica content and particle size on glass transition temperature (Tg), coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), Young's modulus (E), yield stress, and fracture toughness. This study aims to understand the influence of silica nanoparticle size, bimodal particle size distribution and silica content on the toughening behavior. The toughening mechanisms were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and transmission optical microscopy (TOM). The approach identifies toughening mechanisms and develops a toughening model from unimodal-particle size systems first, then extends these concepts to various mixtures micron- and nanometer-size particles in a similar model epoxy. The experimental results revealed that the addition of nanosilica did not have a significant effect on Tg or the yield stress of epoxy resin, i.e. the yield stress and Tg remained constant regardless of nanosilica particle size. As expected, the addition of nanosilica had a significant impact on CTE, modulus and fracture toughness. The CTE values of nanosilica-filled epoxies were found to decrease with increasing nanosilica content, which can be attributed to the much lower CTE of the nanosilica fillers. Interestingly, the decreases in CTE showed strong particle size dependence. The Young's modulus was also found to significantly improve with addition of nanosilica and increase with increasing filler content. However, the particle size did not exhibit any effect on the Young's modulus. Finally, the fracture toughness and fracture energy showed significant improvements with the addition of nanosilica, and increased with increasing filler content. The effect of particle size on fracture toughness was negligible. Observation of the fracture surfaces using SEM and TOM showed evidence of debonding of nanosilica particles

Quantifying voids effecting delamination in carbon/epoxy composites: static and fatigue fracture behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakim, I.; May, D.; Abo Ras, M.; Meyendorf, N.; Donaldson, S.

2016-04-01

On the present work, samples of carbon fiber/epoxy composites with different void levels were fabricated using hand layup vacuum bagging process by varying the pressure. Thermal nondestructive methods: thermal conductivity measurement, pulse thermography, pulse phase thermography and lock-in-thermography, and mechanical testing: modes I and II interlaminar fracture toughness were conducted. Comparing the parameters resulted from the thermal nondestructive testing revealed that voids lead to reductions in thermal properties in all directions of composites. The results of mode I and mode II interlaminar fracture toughness showed that voids lead to reductions in interlaminar fracture toughness. The parameters resulted from thermal nondestructive testing were correlated to the results of mode I and mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and voids were quantified.

Dispersion stability in carbon nanotube modified polymers and its effect on the fracture toughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirjalili, Vahid; Yourdkhani, Mostafa; Hubert, Pascal

2012-08-01

In this paper, the dispersion stability of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) mixed with an epoxy resin is studied. An instrumented optical microscope with a hot stage was used to study the evolution of the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersion during the cure of the resin. A new image processing approach is then introduced to quantify dispersion and identify the source of dispersion degradation during the cure. The results showed that the reduction of the resin viscosity at temperatures greater than 100 °C caused an irreversible re-agglomeration of the CNTs in the matrix. It was shown that the fine-tuning of the ratio and type of curing agent as well as the curing temperature directly affect the dispersion stability of MWNTs in the epoxy polymer. The dispersion quality was then directly correlated to the fracture toughness of the modified resin and a maximum of 20% improvement was achieved.

Temperature effects on the deformation and fracture of Al-Li-Cu-In alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, John A.; Gangloff, Richard P.

1991-01-01

The crack initiation and growth fracture resistance of Al-Cu-Li and Al-Cu-Li-In alloys were characterized and optimized for cryogenic tank applications. Presently, the effects of stress state and temperature is being determined on the fracture toughness and fracture mechanisms of commercially available Vintage 3 2090-T81 and experimental 2090+In-T6. Precracked J-integral specimens of both alloys were tested at ambient and cryogenic temperatures in the plane stress and plane strain conditions. Considering ambient temperature, results showed that 2090-T81 exhibited the highest toughness in both plane strain and plane stress conditions. For the plane strain condition, reasonable crack initiation and growth toughness of 1090-T81 are associated with a significant amount of delamination and transgranular fracture. Plane stress toughnesses were higher and fracture was characterized by shear cracking with minimal delaminations. In comparisons, the fracture behavior of 2090+In-T6 is significantly degraded by subgrain boundary precipitation. Toughness is low and characterized by intersubgranular fracture with no delamination in the plane stress or plane strain conditions. Intersubgranular cracking is a low energy event which presumably occurs prior to the onset of slip band cracking. Copious grain boundary precipitation is atypical of commercially available 2090. At cryogenic temperatures, both alloys exhibit increased yield strength, toughness, and amount of delamination and shear cracking. The change in fracture mode of 2090+In-T6 from intersubgranular cracking at ambient temperature to a combination of intersubgranular cracking, shear cracking, and delamination at cryogenic temperature is the subject of further investigation.

Fluid-driven fracture propagation in heterogeneous media: Probability distributions of fracture trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santillán, David; Mosquera, Juan-Carlos; Cueto-Felgueroso, Luis

2017-11-01

Hydraulic fracture trajectories in rocks and other materials are highly affected by spatial heterogeneity in their mechanical properties. Understanding the complexity and structure of fluid-driven fractures and their deviation from the predictions of homogenized theories is a practical problem in engineering and geoscience. We conduct a Monte Carlo simulation study to characterize the influence of heterogeneous mechanical properties on the trajectories of hydraulic fractures propagating in elastic media. We generate a large number of random fields of mechanical properties and simulate pressure-driven fracture propagation using a phase-field model. We model the mechanical response of the material as that of an elastic isotropic material with heterogeneous Young modulus and Griffith energy release rate, assuming that fractures propagate in the toughness-dominated regime. Our study shows that the variance and the spatial covariance of the mechanical properties are controlling factors in the tortuousness of the fracture paths. We characterize the deviation of fracture paths from the homogenous case statistically, and conclude that the maximum deviation grows linearly with the distance from the injection point. Additionally, fracture path deviations seem to be normally distributed, suggesting that fracture propagation in the toughness-dominated regime may be described as a random walk.

Fluid-driven fracture propagation in heterogeneous media: Probability distributions of fracture trajectories.

PubMed

Santillán, David; Mosquera, Juan-Carlos; Cueto-Felgueroso, Luis

2017-11-01

Hydraulic fracture trajectories in rocks and other materials are highly affected by spatial heterogeneity in their mechanical properties. Understanding the complexity and structure of fluid-driven fractures and their deviation from the predictions of homogenized theories is a practical problem in engineering and geoscience. We conduct a Monte Carlo simulation study to characterize the influence of heterogeneous mechanical properties on the trajectories of hydraulic fractures propagating in elastic media. We generate a large number of random fields of mechanical properties and simulate pressure-driven fracture propagation using a phase-field model. We model the mechanical response of the material as that of an elastic isotropic material with heterogeneous Young modulus and Griffith energy release rate, assuming that fractures propagate in the toughness-dominated regime. Our study shows that the variance and the spatial covariance of the mechanical properties are controlling factors in the tortuousness of the fracture paths. We characterize the deviation of fracture paths from the homogenous case statistically, and conclude that the maximum deviation grows linearly with the distance from the injection point. Additionally, fracture path deviations seem to be normally distributed, suggesting that fracture propagation in the toughness-dominated regime may be described as a random walk.

Tensile, Compression, Open-Hole Compression and Double Cantilever Beam Fracture Toughness Testing of Multiple NASA Langley Research Center Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Donald F.

1999-01-01

The attached data summarizes the work performed by the Composite Materials Research Group at the University of Wyoming funded by the NASA LaRC Research Grant NAG-1-1294. The work consisted primarily of tension, compression, open-hole compression and double cantilever beam fracture toughness testing performed an a variety of NASA LaRC composite materials. Tests were performed at various environmental conditions and pre-conditioning requirements. The primary purpose of this work was to support the LaRC material development efforts. The data summaries are arranged in chronological order from oldest to newest.

Fracture behavior of thick, laminated graphite/epoxy composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, C. E.; Morris, D. H.

1984-01-01

The effect of laminate thickness on the fracture behavior of laminated graphite epoxy (T300/5208) composites was studied. The predominantly experimental research program included the study of the 0/+ or - 45/90 sub ns and 0/90 sub ns laminates with thickness of 8, 32, 64, 96 and 120 plies and the 0/+ or - 45 sub ns laminate with thickness of 6, 30, 60, 90 and 120 plies. The research concentrated on the measurement of fracture toughness utilizing the center-cracked tension, compact tension and three point bend specimen configurations. The development of subcritical damage at the crack tip was studied nondestructively using enhanced X-ray radiography and destructively using the laminate deply technique. The test results showed fracture toughness to be a function of laminate thickness. The fracture toughness of the 0 + or - 45/90 sub ns and 0/90 sub ns laminates decreased with increasing thickness and asymptotically approached lower bound values of 30 ksi square root of in. (1043 MPa square root of mm and 25 ksi square root of in (869 MPa square root of mm respectively. In contrast to the other two laminates, the fracture toughness of the 0/+ or - 45 sub ns laminate increased sharply with increasing thickness but reached an upper plateau value of 40 ksi square root of in (1390 MPa square root of mm) at 30 plies. Fracture toughness was independent of crack size for both thin and thick laminates for all three laminate types except for the 0/90 sub 2s laminate which spilt extensively. The center cracked tension, three point bend and compact tension specimens gave comparable results.

BWRVIP-140NP: BWR Vessel and Internals Project Fracture Toughness and Crack Growth Program on Irradiated Austenitic Stainless Steel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilman, J

2005-03-15

To prepare for this project, EPRI and BWRVIP conducted a workshop at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida during February 19-21, 2003 (EPRI report 1007822). Attendees were invited to exchange relevant information on the effects of irradiation on austenitic materials in light water reactors and to produce recommendations for further work. EPRI reviewed the data, recommendations, and conclusions derived from the workshop and developed prioritized test matrices defining new data needs. Proposals were solicited, and selected proposals are the basis for the program described in this report. Results The planned test matrix for fracture toughness testing includes 21 tests on 5 materials.

Synthesis and toughness properties of resins and composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, N. J.

1984-01-01

Tensile and shear moduli of four ACEE (Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program) resins are presented along with ACEE composite material modulus predictions based on micromechanics. Compressive strength and fracture toughness of the resins and composites were discussed. In addition, several resin synthesis techniques are reviewed.

Processing and testing of high toughness silicon nitride ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tikare, Veena; Sanders, William A.; Choi, Sung R.

1993-01-01

High toughness silicon nitride ceramics were processed with the addition of small quantities of beta-Si3N4 whiskers in a commercially available alpha-Si3N4 powder. These whiskers grew preferentially during sintering resulting in large, elongated beta-grains, which acted to toughen the matrix by crack deflection and grain pullout. The fracture toughness of these samples seeded with beta-Si3N4 whiskers ranged from 8.7 to 9.5 MPa m(exp 0.5) depending on the sintering additives.

A Review of the Proposed KIsi Offset-Secant Method for Size-Insensitive Linear-Elastic Fracture Toughness Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, Mark; Wells, Doug; Allen, Phillip; Wallin, Kim

2017-01-01

Recently proposed modifications to ASTM E399 would provide a new size-insensitive approach to analyzing the force-displacement test record. The proposed size-insensitive linear-elastic fracture toughness, KIsi, targets a consistent 0.5mm crack extension for all specimen sizes by using an offset secant that is a function of the specimen ligament length. The KIsi evaluation also removes the Pmax/PQ criterion and increases the allowable specimen deformation. These latter two changes allow more plasticity at the crack tip, prompting the review undertaken in this work to ensure the validity of this new interpretation of the force-displacement curve. This paper provides a brief review of the proposed KIsi methodology and summarizes a finite element study into the effects of increased crack tip plasticity on the method given the allowance for additional specimen deformation. The study has two primary points of investigation: the effect of crack tip plasticity on compliance change in the force-displacement record and the continued validity of linear-elastic fracture mechanics to describe the crack front conditions. The analytical study illustrates that linear-elastic fracture mechanics assumptions remain valid at the increased deformation limit; however, the influence of plasticity on the compliance change in the test record is problematic. A proposed revision to the validity criteria for the KIsi test method is briefly discussed.

Enhancement of Impact Toughness by Delamination Fracture in a Low-Alloy High-Strength Steel with Al Alloying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Junjie; Jiang, Tao; Liu, Hongji; Guo, Shengwu; Liu, Yongning

2016-12-01

The effect of delamination toughening of martensitic steel was investigated both at room and low temperatures [253 K and 233 K (-20 °C and -40 °C)]. Two low-alloy martensitic steels with and without Al alloying were both prepared. Layered structure with white band and black matrix was observed in Al alloyed steel, while a homogeneous microstructure was displayed in the steel without Al. Both steels achieved high strength (tensile strength over 1600 MPa) and good ductility (elongation over 11 pct), but they displayed stark contrasts on impact fracture mode and Charpy impact energy. Delamination fracture occurred in Al alloyed steel and the impact energies were significantly increased both at room temperature (from 75 to 138 J, i.e., nearly improved up to 2 times) and low temperatures [from 47.9 to 71.3 J at 233 K (-40 °C)] compared with the one without Al. Alloying with Al promotes the segregation of Cr, Mn, Si and C elements to form a network structure, which is martensite with higher carbon content and higher hardness than that of the matrix. And this network structure evolved into a band structure during the hot rolling process. The difference of yield stress between the band structure and the matrix gives rise to a delamination fracture during the impact test, which increases the toughness greatly.

Investigation on Microstructure and Impact Toughness of Different Zones in Duplex Stainless Steel Welding Joint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhiqiang; Jing, Hongyang; Xu, Lianyong; Han, Yongdian; Li, Guolu; Zhao, Lei

2017-01-01

This paper investigated on microstructure and impact toughness of different zones in duplex stainless steel welding joint. High-temperature heat-affected zone (HTHAZ) contained coarse ferrite grains and secondary precipitates such as secondary austenite, Cr2N, and sigma. Intergranular secondary austenite was prone to precipitation in low-temperature heat-affected zone (LTHAZ). Both in weld metal (WM) and in HTHAZ, the austenite consisted of different primary and secondary austenite. The ferrite grains in base metal (BM) presented typical rolling texture, while the austenite grains showed random orientation. Both in the HTHAZ and in the LTHAZ, the ferrite grains maintained same texture as the ferrite in the BM. The secondary austenite had higher Ni but lower Cr and Mo than the primary austenite. Furthermore, the WM exhibited the highest toughness because of sufficient ductile austenite and unapparent ferrite texture. The HTHAZ had the lowest toughness because of insufficient austenite formation in addition to brittle sigma and Cr2N precipitation. The LTHAZ toughness was higher than the BM due to secondary austenite precipitation. In addition, the WM fracture was dominated by the dimple, while the cleavage was main fracture mode of the HTHAZ. Both BM and LTHAZ exhibited a mixed fracture mode of the dimple and quasi-cleavage.

Effects of incorporation of 2.5 and 5 wt% TiO2 nanotubes on fracture toughness, flexural strength, and microhardness of denture base poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA).

PubMed

Abdulrazzaq Naji, Sahar; Behroozibakhsh, Marjan; Jafarzadeh Kashi, Tahereh Sadat; Eslami, Hossein; Masaeli, Reza; Mahgoli, Hosseinali; Tahriri, Mohammadreza; Ghavvami Lahiji, Mehrsima; Rakhshan, Vahid

2018-04-01