scholarly journals Probabilistic Assessment of Fracture Toughness of Epoxy Resin EPOLAM 2025 Including the Notch Radii Effect

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1857
Author(s):  
Adrián Álvarez-Vázquez ◽  
Miguel Muñiz-Calvente ◽  
Pelayo Fernández Fernández ◽  
Alfonso Fernández-Canteli ◽  
María Jesús Lamela-Rey ◽  
...  

Many design scenarios of components made of polymer materials are concerned with notches as representative constructive details. The failure hazard assessment of these components using models based on the assumption of cracked components leads to over-conservative failure estimations. Among the different alternative approaches proposed that are based on the apparent fracture toughness, KcN is considered. In so doing, the current deterministic underlying concept must be replaced by a probabilistic one to take into account the variability observed in the failure results in order to ensure a reliable design. In this paper, an approach based on the critical distance principle is proposed for the failure assessment of notched EPOLAM 2025 CT samples with each different notch radii (ρ) including a probabilistic assessment of the failure prediction. First, each apparent fracture toughness is transformed into the equivalent fracture toughness for ρ=0 based on the critical distances theory. Then, once all results are normalized to the same basic conditions, a Weibull cumulative distribution function is fitted, allowing the probability of failure to be predicted for different notch radii. In this way, the total number of the specimens tested in the experimental campaign is reduced, whereas the reliability of the material characterization improves. Finally, the applicability of the proposed methodology is illustrated by an example using the own experimental campaign performed on EPOLAM 2025 CT specimens with different notch radii (ρ).

Metals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Cicero ◽  
Juan Fuentes ◽  
Isabela Procopio ◽  
Virginia Madrazo ◽  
Pablo González

The structural integrity assessment of components containing notch-type defects has been the subject of extensive research in the last few decades. The assumption that notches behave as cracks is generally too conservative, making it necessary to develop assessment methodologies that consider the specific nature of notches, providing accurate safe predictions of failure loads or defect sizes. Among the different theories or models that have been developed to address this issue the Theory of Critical Distances (TCD) is one of the most widely applied and extended. This theory is actually a group of methodologies that have in common the use of the material toughness and a length parameter that depends on the material (the critical distance; L). This length parameter requires calibration in those situations where there is a certain non-linear behavior on the micro or the macro scale. This calibration process constitutes the main practical barrier for an extensive use of the TCD in structural steels. The main purpose of this paper is to provide, through a set of proposed default values, a simple methodology to accurately estimate both the critical distance of structural steels and the corresponding apparent fracture toughness predictions derived from the TCD.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cicero ◽  
V. Madrazo ◽  
I. A. Carrascal

This paper applies a methodology that allows the fracture toughness of a given material to be estimated by testing notched fracture toughness specimens and applying the Theory of Critical Distances, which requires the elastic stress field at the notch tip to be determined by finite elements simulation. This methodology, which is not intended to substitute any standardised fracture characterisation procedure, constitutes an alternative in those situations where pre-cracking processes may be too time-consuming, too expensive or, simply, cannot be performed. It comprises testing two notched specimens with different notch radii, defining the corresponding stress fields at fracture by using finite elements analysis, and applying the Theory of Critical Distances in order to calibrate the material’s critical distance and to apply the corresponding apparent fracture toughness formulation. The methodology has been applied to two different materials, PMMA and Al7075-T651, and the results have proven that, as long as the Theory of Critical Distances has been applied within its validity range, the fracture toughness estimations are highly accurate.


Author(s):  
H. Teng ◽  
D. W. Beardsmore ◽  
J. K. Sharples ◽  
P. J. Budden

A finite element analysis has been performed to investigate the effects of warm prestressing of a pre-cracked PTS-D (Pressurized Thermal Shock Disk) specimen, for comparison with the experimental work conducted by the Belgium SCK-CEN organisation under the European NESC VII project. The specimen was loaded to a maximum loading at −50 °C, unloaded at the same temperature, cooled down to −150 °C, and then re-loaded to fracture at −150 °C. This is a loading cycle known as a LUCF cycle. The temperature-dependant tensile stress-strain data was used in the model and the finite element software ABAQUS was used in the analysis. The finite element results were used to derive the apparent fracture toughness by three different methods: (1) Chell’s displacement superposition method; (2) the local stress matching method; and (3) Wallin’s empirical formula. The apparent fracture toughness values were derived at the deepest point of the semi-elliptical crack for a 5% un-prestressed fracture toughness of 43.96 MPam1/2 at −150 °C. The detailed results were presented in the paper.


Author(s):  
Rory Belanger ◽  
Derrick Sarafinchan

For more than two decades, CSA Z662 Annex K has provided a method for developing alternative acceptance criteria for weld flaws in mechanized welded pipelines. Increasingly, over the years, fracture mechanics practitioners have found the method overly conservative and restrictive with respect to brittle fracture criteria when compared to other accepted fracture mechanics-based engineering critical assessment ECA codes and methods. These limitations rendered the CSA Annex K method difficult to implement on pipelines constructed with materials not possessing optimal toughness and in cases requiring consideration of fracture toughness at temperatures lower than the typical minimum design metal temperature (MDMT) of −5°C. This paper presents experiences implementing CSA Z662-15 Annex K Option 2 methodology on a 610 mm diameter liquids pipeline and compares and contrasts the utility and benefits of the code revision. This pipeline required consideration for installation during winter months, necessitating installation temperatures as low as −30°C. In addition to evaluation of actual ECA results, analytical evaluations of the Option 2 methodology were also conducted considering parameters outside those used on the project. The new Annex K Option 2 method was found to be of considerable benefit in preparation of a practical ECA. Since fracture toughness testing was conducted at the anticipated lowest installation temperature, the flaw criteria were, as expected, principally controlled by elastic/plastic crack growth consideration. The failure assessment diagram implemented into the CSA Z662-15 Annex K Option 2 provided tolerance for both longer and deeper flaws than that afforded by Option 1 (which resorts to the former 2011 Annex K method). Furthermore, the reduced restriction to the surface interaction ligament (p distance) offers additional advantages including increased flexibility in weld profile design and weld pass sequencing. Fracture toughness (CTOD) testing of TMP pipeline steels used in the project at −30°C often produced transitional fracture toughness results. It was found that the particular project materials were quite sensitive to the level of test specimen pre-compression (an acceptable plastic straining method to reduce residual stress gradients) applied to the CTOD specimens to enhance fatigue crack-front straightness. It was found that optimizing the level of pre-compression (to achieve acceptable pre-crack straightness while minimizing plastic pre-strain) achieved a balance between fully satisfying testing requirements, providing a conservative assessment of CTOD, and facilitating a functional Annex K ECA.


Author(s):  
Z. X. Wang ◽  
H. M. Li ◽  
Y. J. Chao ◽  
P. S. Lam

Finite element method was used to analyze the three-point bend experimental data of A533B-1 pressure vessel steel obtained by Sherry, Lidbury, and Beardsmore [1] from −160 to −45 °C within the ductile-brittle transition regime. As many researchers have shown, the failure stress (σf) of the material could be approximated as a constant. The characteristic length, or the critical distance (rc) from the crack tip, at which σf is reached, is shown to be temperature dependent based on the crack tip stress field calculated by the finite element method. With the J-A2 two-parameter constraint theory in fracture mechanics, the fracture toughness (JC or KJC) can be expressed as a function of the constraint level (A2) and the critical distance rc. This relationship is used to predict the fracture toughness of A533B-1 in the ductile-brittle transition regime with a constant σf and a set of temperature-dependent rc. It can be shown that the prediction agrees well with the test data for wide range of constraint levels from shallow cracks (a/W = 0.075) to deep cracks (a/W = 0.5), where a is the crack length and W is the specimen width.


2001 ◽  
Vol 702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina A. Orlovskaya ◽  
Jakob Kuebler ◽  
Vladimir I. Subotin ◽  
Mykola Lugovy

ABSTRACTMultilayered ceramic composites are very promising materials for different engineering applications. Laminates with strong interfaces can provide high apparent fracture toughness and damage tolerance along with the high strength and reliability. The control over the mechanical behavior of laminates can be obtained through design of residual stresses in separate layers. Here we report a development of tough silicon nitride based layered ceramics with controlled compressive and tensile stresses in separate layers. We design laminates in a way to achieve high compressive residual stresses in thin (100-150 micron) Si3N4 layers and low tensile residual stresses in thick (600-700 micron) Si3N4-TiN layers. The residual stresses are controlled by the amount of TiN in layers with residual tensile stresses and the layers thickness. The fracture toughness of pure Si3N4(5wt%Y2O3+2wt%Al2O3) ceramics was measured to be of 5 MPa m1/2, while the apparent fracture toughness of Si3N4/Si3N4-TiN laminates was in the range of 7-8 MPa m1/2 depending on the composition and thickness of the layers.


2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 614-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luboš Náhlík ◽  
Lucie Šestáková ◽  
Pavel Hutař

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