Understanding of TWI R Curves A method to measure fracture toughness

Shell contribution, Jan 7, 2009

Fracture Mechanics vs. Strength

The strength of materials approach Applied Stress The fracture mechanics approach Applied Stress Yield or Tensile Strength

Flaw Size

Fracture Toughness

Fracture Analysis

Two alternative approaches

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Energy criterion approach

Gf = (2EWf/ a ) When Gf GfC, failure occurs

Stress intensity approach

KI = (a)1/2 When KI KIC, failure occurs

The two approaches are essentially equivalent for linear elastic materials

Materials Fracture Mechanics

Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics Elastic-Plastic Fracture Mechanics Dynamic Fracture Mechanics Viscoelasti c Fracture Mechanics Vicoplastic Fracture Mechanics Linear TimeIndependent KIC Nonlinear TimeIndependent Critical J/CTOD TimeDependent

Effect of Material Properties on Fracture

Material High strength steel Low- and medium-strength steel Austenitic stainless steel Precipitation-hardened aluminum Metals at high temperature Metals at high strain rates

Typical Fracture Behavior Linear elastic Elastic-plastic/Fully plastic Fully plastic Linear elastic Viscoplastic Dynamic-viscoplastic

Driving Force Material Resistance Crack grows

Instability and the R Curve

R curve
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Material resistance vs. crack extension Flat R curve - Material resistance remains constant Rising R curve - Material resistance varies with crack size Depends on how the driving force and resistance vary with crack size

Crack growth may be stable or unstable

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R-Curves: Flat vs. Rising Curves

G, R G2 Unstable R Stable G1 a0 a0 ac G, R Instability Gc Gc

G4 G3 G2 R

G1

Crack size

Crack size

R: Resistance;

G: Driving force

Conditions for stable crack growth: G=R and dG/da dR/da Conditions for unstable crack growth: dG/da dR/da

Reasons for the R Curve Shape

For an ideally brittle material: flat

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Surface energy is an invariant material property A plastic zone at the tip of the crack increases in size as the crack grows The material resistance is provided by the surface energy and local plastic dissipation.

For a ductile material: rising

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For materials with cleavage fracture: falling

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Industry Standards

BS 7448: Fracture mechanics toughness tests

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Part 1: Method for determination of KIC, critical CTOD and critical J values Part 4: Method for determination of fracture resistance curves and initiation values for stable crack extension in metallic materials;

ASTM E 1820: Standard test method for measurement of fracture toughness.

Construction of R-Curves-Blunting and Exclusion

lines

Calculate the crack extension limit amax

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Geometry dependent - amax=0.25(w-a0) for CTOD, or - amax=0.10(w-a0) for J

Same amax for a given geometry

Determine the slope of the blunting line

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Material dependent (Yield & Tensile strength) - CTOD = 1.87x (tensile/yield0.2) x a Higher strength Steeper slope for - J = 3.75 x Tensile x a

Construct crack extension limit exclusion line

Minimum: 0.1mm - Maximum: parallel to the blunting line at an offset of amax
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Construction of R-Curves-Data Spacing

Multiple specimen method

A minimum of 6 specimens - Each crack sector shall contain at least one data point
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Single specimen method

Unloading compliance technique - Potential drop technique for crack extension monitoring
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400

350

Recent TWI testing data

8630M/ AK10, bevelled (17860-W01) F6NM/ 625, square (Bodycot e)

300

250

200
410/ 625, square (17860-W02)

F22V/ 625, square (14403-W04)

Bodycote data

F6NM/ 410NiMo, square (18403-W04)

150
410/ 625, closure weld (17860-W03)

100

F22/ 625, square (14403-W05P) F22/ 625, square (14403-W06) 8630/ 625 BS3, square (Bodycot e) 8630/ 625 BS1, square (Bodycot e)

50
4130/ 625, square (14403-W07)

F22/ 625, square (14403-W05)

Early TWI testing data

8630M/ 625, square (14403-W02)

0 0 0.5 1 1.5 Crack Extension, a, mm 2 2.5 3

Limits

TWI R-Curves
250 240 230 220 210 200 190 180 170 160 150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0

Crack extension, a max CTOD BS7448-4 1.5 1.5 amax to be used

J 0.6 2??

Blunting line

F6NM / 625, square

J, N/mm

Predominantly cleavage + tiny patches of blue and green disbonding

Minimum exclusion line

8630M / 625, square

Maximum exclusion line

0.5

1.5 Crack extension, Da, mm

2.5

So, what do we know?

Interpretation of R-curves
Can be used for ranking material resistance to fracture in a given environment - The rising R curve is more ductile than the flat R curve - The higher end R curves are more resistant to fracture than the lower end R curves
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Testing
TWI has partially followed BS7448 - The crack extension range has been shifted to the left - Bodycote uses a wider crack extension range - Validity??
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So, what do we not know?

Interpretation of R-curves
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How good is enough? What is the driving force? What is the valid crack extension range? How do we curve fit the data?

Testing
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Tim-dependent Crack Growth and Damage Tolerance

Plays a role in life prediction of components

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Fatigue Stress corrosion cracking

Failure

Flaw size

For instance da/dN = C (K)m

Useful service life

Time

Specimen Dimensions Required for a Valid KIC

Crack length (a) Thickness (B) Uncracked ligament (W-a)

Each of the above not less than