Papers by Keyword: Cleavage Fracture

Abstract: Measurements over fractured surfaces of samples obtained from impact Charpy tests and four-point double-notch bend tests, carried out at-60°C and-196°C were performed in the present work. This in order to quantify cleavage facets misorientation for the resistance of cleavage fracture propagation. The material used for the analyses was a ferritic Grade A ship plate steel. The grains misorientation angle was quantified by measuring the orientation of single cleavage facets with respect to its neighbors, of a number of cleavage facets, and the misorientation angle was measured. The misorientation angle of cleavage facets was analyze in four groups: all facets, small-small, small-large and large-large facets in order to identify how this classification can affect the misorientation angle of cleavage facets. The results showed that high misorientation angles between neighboring grains, can act as barriers for cleavage propagation, and offer more resistance for brittle fracture propagation or may arrest potential microcracks of critical size in the ductile-brittle transition of ferritic steels. Therefore, the analysis revealed arrest of microcracks when the fracture path found high misoriented grains in the lower shelf of a Grade A ship plate steel. The effect of the misorientation of the ferrite grains in terms of the cleavage facets misorientation on fracture propagation was also discussed in the present work. Keywords: Cleavage fracture, Misorientation angle, Charpy tests, Four-point double-notch bend tests, Cleavage facets.

Abstract: In order to analyze the influence of neutron irradiation on the critical event of cleavage fracture for the Chinese A508-3 (RPV) steel, the fracture morphology, microstructure and grain size of the irradiated specimens are observed and analyzed by optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that with the increase of neutron doses, the fracture mode of Chinese RPV steel material changes gradually from ductile fracture to ductile-brittle mixed fracture transformation. The brittle part for fracture mode of ductile-brittle fracture is cleavage fracture, and the non-metallic inclusions, microstructure and grain size grades are not significantly different from those of the specimens without cleavage fracture. In the same material, with increasing of neutron doses, the critical event size of the cleavage fracture will be reduced, and the percentage of the grain that satisfies the grain size of the cleavage critical event will increase correspondingly, resulting in an increase of the probability of cleavage fracture of the material. The fine grain with uniform distribution can improve partly the fracture toughness of the material and withstand higher neutron doses under the same conditions.

Abstract: The steels consisting of multi-phase structure show an advantage for their high strength and good formability. The ductile to brittle transition with decreasing temperature has been investigated by Charpy impact test with sub-size specimen for the ferrite + pearlite structure steel sheet. The transition curve of the absorbed energy showed a two-step transition behavior, and the “middle shelf” appeared clearly in the curve. The cleavage-like fracture with few dimples appeared on the fracture surface of the specimens at the middle shelf, and the plastic strain was detected just below the fracture surface. This result suggested that the fracture at the middle shelf propagates with the quasi-cleavage fracture accompanied with plastic deformation. Although the traces of fracture surface corresponded to (001), (011), and (112) bcc-iron planes, the (001) cleavage plane was not dominant for the fracture propagation path at the middle shelf.

Abstract: The dynamic compression test was carried out for the AZ91 Magnesium alloy of as-cast and aging state with a split Hopkinson pressure bar, and the dynamic behavior has been investigated. Finally the fracture surface of samples at the different strain rates was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that compared with the as-cast AZ91, it is more impressible for the solid solution and age-treatment AZ91 at the similar strong strain rates, while the stress-strain curve has the duality of positive and negative effects as the variation of strain rate.

Abstract: In the paper the fracture mechanisms in ultra-high-strength steel are examined. However, the emphasis is on cleavage fracture, which was observed in the whole temperature range tested. The extent of cleavage depends on the specimen thickness and temperature. The experimental program consisted of tensile and fracture tests and was followed by scanning microscope observations of the fracture surfaces. Then, a full 3D elastic-plastic finite element analysis was carried out assuming finite strains. The numerical results support the postulate that the onset of cleavage jump is observed when the maximum opening stresses become higher than the critical value (the material property at a given temperature) over a distance greater than the critical value (material property independent of temperature). A discussion of so-called 3D stress parameters is presented.

Abstract: A research on the effect of strip defect in the notched specimen of low alloy hot rolled steel 16MnR at -196°C is carried out in this paper. 4-point positive and negative bending experiments of notched specimen with different preloads are carried out to introduce strip defects of different dimensions in the front of notch. And then the residual stress and work hardening is eliminated through high temperature tempering. Bending fracture experiment is carried out at -196°C. Through microscopic observation and the measurement and analysis of mechanical parameters, it is discovered that: when the preload ratio P0/Pgy0.861, the Pf /Pgy rapidly decreases as the P0/Pgy increases. That’s because the increase of local high stress-strain region caused by the strip defect at the front notch end makes the distribution of crack-shaped nucleus active region of cleavage fracture increase, causes the cleavage initiation and leads to discrete numeric values of material notch toughness Pf and W.

Abstract: Cleavage fracture in steel is usually evaluated by using the stress criterion. However, some researchers indicated the necessity of strain in the stress criterion according to the cleavage fracture test results of steel base metal. If so, the cleavage fracture criterion should be also applicable to steel welded joints. In this study, cleavage fracture tests, SEM fracture surface observations and FEA were conducted using the smooth and notched round bar tensile specimens of the simulated HAZ microstructure of JIS SM490A. Cleavage trigger types did not influence the cleavage fracture properties of the specimens obviously. FEA results suggested that the critical condition of cleavage fracture initiation was associated not only with stress but also with strain.

Abstract: Charpy impact testing (over the transition temperature rage) on different samples of a Ti-microalloyed steel, having the same average-TiN particle size but different average-ferrite grain sizes, showed that in spite of the presence of large TiN cuboides, ferrite grain refinement can significantly improve the impact toughness, provided the meso-texture (i.e. the intensity of low-angle boundaries) and matrix strength can be restricted to low values.

Abstract: The relationship between texture and secondary work embrittlement of interstitial-free steels was studied by X-ray analysis technique and scanning electron microscopy analysis technique. The results indicated that the stronger the γ fiber texture was, the higher the plastic strain ratio (r-value) was, and Secondary work embrittlement temperature rose as r-value increased or γ fiber texture intensified. The mode of secondary work embrittlement fracture was a blend of cleavage fracture and intergranular fracture, and the fraction of cleavage fractures decreased gradually as secondary work embrittlement temperature rose.

Abstract: A new method of fracture toughness K_1C prediction of non power law hardening material by using cleavage fracture local approach is proposed in this paper. The fracture toughness of A508-Ⅲ 16MnR at different cleavage fracture probability are predicted by using the method. To most of pressure vessel carbon-manganese steels, cleavage fracture is likely to occur at the load corresponding to 62% cleavage fracture probability. Hence, the fracture toughness corresponding to the load is the most possible fracture toughness of the steels. The values of fracture toughness corresponding to 62% cleavage fracture probability is close to that of testing fracture toughness. The work of this paper expends the application of Beremin cleavage fracture model in predicting fracture toughness.