A local criterion for cleavage fracture of a nuclear pressure vessel steel

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Metall. Trans., A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02663302· OSTI ID:7156541

Bermin, F M

Experiments were performed on three heats of A508 class 3 steel in order to determine the mechanical conditions for cleavage fracture. These tests were carried out on various geometries including 4-point bend specimens and axisymmetric notched tensile bars with different notch radii which have been modelized using the finite element method. In one heat, the temperature range investigated was from 77 K to 233 K. It is shown that the cleavage resistance is increased by tensile straining. Moreover, the probability of fracture obeys the Weibull statistical distribution. All the results can be accounted for in terms of a local criterion based on Weibull theory and which takes into account the effect of plastic strain. In this criterion, the parameters which were experimentally determined are found to be temperature independent over the range 77 K to 170 K. The applicability of the approach proposed for cleavage fracture at the crack tip is also examined. It is shown that the experimental results published in the literature giving the variation of fracture toughness with temperature can be explained by the proposed criterion which predicts reasonably well both the scatter in the experimental results and the K /SUB IC/ temperature dependence.

• Research Organization: Centre des Materiaux de l'Ecole des Mines de Paris
• OSTI ID: 7156541
• Journal Information: Metall. Trans., A; (United States), Journal Name: Metall. Trans., A; (United States) Vol. 14A:11; ISSN MTTAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103 -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
ALLOYS
BENDING
CLEAVAGE
CONTAINERS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
FRACTURE MECHANICS
GEOMETRY
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
LOW TEMPERATURE
MATERIALS TESTING
MATHEMATICS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
POWER REACTORS
PRESSURE VESSELS
PROBABILITY
REACTORS
STATISTICS
STEEL-ASTM-A508
STEELS
STRAINS
SYMMETRY
TENSILE PROPERTIES
TESTING