AN ANALYTICAL COMPARISON OF SHORT CRACK AND DEEP CRACK CTOD FRACTURE SPECIMENS OF AN A36 STEEL ; THE EFFECTS OF CRACK DEPTH ON ELASTIC-PLASTIC CTOD FRACTURE TOUGHNESS; A COMPARISON OF THE J-INTEGRAL A (To Purchase Call 1-800-854-7179 USA/Canada or 303-397
This Bulletin contains three reports on research work performed at the University of Kansas on CTOD and J-integral test studies of A36 steel. Publication of this Bulletin - WRC Bulletin No. 351 was sponsored by the Subcommittee on Failure Modes of Components of the Pressure Vessel Research Council of the Welding Research Council. In this study@ finite element analyses are employed to compare the elastic-plastic behavior of square (cross-section) three-point bend specimens with crack-depth to specimen-width ratios (a/W) ranging between 0.50 and 0.05. The two-dimensional analysis of the specimen with an a/W ratio of 0.15 reveals a fundamental change in the deformation pattern from the deep crack deformation pattern. The plastic zone extends to the free surface behind the crack concurrent with the development of a plastic hinge. For shorter cracks (a/W = 0.10 and 0.05)@ the plastic zone extends to the free surface behind the crack prior to the development of a plastic hinge. For longer cracks (a/W > 0.20)@ a plastic hinge develops before the plastic zone extends to the free surface behind the crack.