Experimental and numerical investigations on brittle failure probability and ductile resistance property

• Published in: International journal of pressure vessels and piping 2008-09, Vol.85 (9), p.647-654
• Main Authors: Chang, Yoon-Suk, Kim, Jong-Min, Ko, Han-Ok, Choi, Jae-Boong, Kim, Young-Jin, Kim, Min-Chul, Lee, Bong-Sang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Brittle failure probability; Damage model; Ductile fracture resistance property; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Fracture mechanics (crack, fatigue, damage...); Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Local approach; Physics; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics
• ISSN: 0308-0161; 1879-3541
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpvp.2007.08.008

The scatter of measured fracture toughness data and the transferability of toughness between different crack configurations and loading conditions are major obstacles in applications of fracture mechanics. To address these issues, worldwide, significant efforts have been devoted to establishment of the local approach. The purpose of this work is to further investigate both brittle rupture and ductile rupture of typical nuclear materials by using miniature specimens. Systematic finite element analyses as well as corresponding fracture toughness tests are performed with respect to compact tension and pre-cracked V-notched specimens. Subsequently, assessment of brittle failure probabilities and estimation of fracture resistance curves are carried out. Promising results have been observed through comparisons between experimental and numerically predicted data, which enables one to determine practical safety margins of nuclear components containing a defect.