On the measurement and physical meaning of the cleavage fracture stress in steel

Elastic-plastic two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) finite element models (FEM) are used to analyze the stress distributions ahead of notches of four-point bending (4PB) and three-point bending (3PB) specimens with various sizes of a C-Mn steel. By accurately measuring the location of the cleavage initiation sites, the local cleavage fracture stress _f and the macroscopic cleavage fracture stress _F is accurately measured. The _f and _F measured by 2D FEM are higher than that by 3D FEM. _f values are lower than the _F, and the _f values could be predicted by _f=(0.8––1.0)_F. With increasing specimen sizes (W,B and a) and specimen widths (B) and changing loading methods (4PB and 3PB), the fracture load P _f changes considerably, but the _F and _f remain nearly constant. The stable lower boundary _F and _f values could be obtained by using notched specimens with sizes larger than the Griffiths–Owen specimen. The local cleavage fracture stress _f could be accurately used in the analysis of fracture micromechanism, and to characterize intrinsic toughness of steel. The macroscopic cleavage fracture stress _F is suggested to be a potential engineering parameter which can be used to assess fracture toughness of steel and to design engineering structure.     

Effect of magnesium content on the stress exponent and effective stress in the steady state creep of Al-Mg alloys

The stress exponent of steady state creep,n, and the internal ( _i) and effective stresses ( _e) have been determined using the strain transient dip test for a series of polycrystalline Al-Mg alloys creep tested at 300° C and compared with previously published data. The internal or dislocation back stress, _i, varied with applied stress,, but was insensitive to magnesium content of the alloy, being represented by the empirical equation _i=1.084 ^1.802. Such an applied stress dependence of _i can be explained by using an equation for _i of the form _i (dislocation density)^1/2 and published values for the stress dependence of dislocation density. Values of the friction stress, _f, derived using the equation _e/=(1–c) (1– _f/), indicate that _f is not dependent on the magnesium content. A constant value of _f can best be rationalized by postulating that the creep dislocation structure is relatively insensitive to the magnesium content of the alloy.On leave from Engineering Materials Department, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.     

Experimental investigation of the effects of stress rate and stress level on fracture in polystyrene

The effects of stress rate and stress level on fatigue crack propagation in compression-moulded single-edge notched specimens (0.25 mm in thickness) of polystyrene are reported. Values of the stress rate are obtained from the formula = 2v(_max – _max),, wherev is the frequency and _max, _min are the maximum and minimum stresses of the fatigue cycle. Different levels of are achieved by changing the frequency while keeping _max, _min at fixed values. The effect of the stress level is investigated by keeping and _min constant and varying _max andv. The results show that when the kinetic data are plotted as l/t against the energy release rateG ₁, a relatively small effect of the stress rate is observed. If the same data are treated as l/N againstG ₁, a decrease in l/N with test frequency is seen. The increase in the level of _max results in a higher crack speed. The critical crack length is found to be practically the same for all stress-rate experiments. A decrease in the critical crack length is observed with the increase in stress level. Analysis of craze distribution around the crack path shows that the extent of crazing decreases with the increase in stress rate and increases with the increase in stress level. For all experimental conditions, the ratio of the second moment to the square root of the fourth moment of the histograms of craze density along directions normal to the crack path is found to be constant throughout the slow phase of crack propagation. This result supports a self-similarity hypothesis of damage evolution proposed in the crack layer model.     

Shock response of stainless steel at high temperature

Measurements of the dynamic tensile strength of HR-2 (Cr-Ni-Mn-N) stainless steel have been carried out over the initial temperature range of 300 K–1000 K at shock stress of 8 GPa, the corresponding spall strength _f and Hugoniot elastic limit _HEL are determined from the wave profiles. In the temperature range of 300 K–806 K, _f and _HEL decrease linearly with increasing temperature T, i.e., _f = 5.63-4.32 × 10^–3T, _HEL = 2.08-1.54 × 10^–3T, but when heated to 980 K, _HEL increases from 0.84 GPa at 806 K to 0.93 GPa at 980 K and _f keeps at an almost fixed value of 2.15 GPa. The TEM analysis on recovery samples identified the existence of intermatallic compound Ni₃Al and the carbide Cr₂₃C₆ in the sample of 806 K, another intermatallic compound Ni₃Ti was found in the sample of 980 K. All these products emerge along crystal boundary. While no such products were found in the samples of 300 K and 650 K.     

The influence of antimony-additions on the creep behaviour of a 25wt% Cr-20wt% Ni austenitic stainless steel

The effect of antimony on the creep behaviour (dislocation creep) of a 25 wt% Cr-20 wt% Ni stainless steel with ~ 0.005 wt% C was studied with a view to assessing the segregation effect. The antimony content of the steel was varied up to 4000 ppm. The test temperature range was 1153 to 1193 K, the stress range, 9.8 to 49.0 MPa, and the grain-size range, 40 to 600m. The steady state creep rate, , decreases with increasing antimony content, especially in the range of intermediate grain sizes (100 to 300m). Stress drop tests were performed in the secondary creep stages and the results indicate that antimony causes dislocations in the substructure to be immobile, probably by segregating to them, reducing the driving stress for creep.Nomenclature _a Creep stress in a constant load creep test without stress-drop - _A Initial applied stress in stress-drop tests - Stress decrement - ( _A-) Applied stress after a stress decrement, - t _i Incubation time after stress drop (by the positive creep) - _C Strain-arrest stress - _i Internal stress - _{s s}-component (= _i- _c) - Steady state creep rate (average value) in a constant load creep test - Strain rate at time,t, in a constant load creep test - New steady state creep rate (average value) after stress drop from _A to ( _A-) - Strain rate at time,t, after stress drop.     

Theory of the Surface Tension Maximum of Liquid 3He

Recently Matsumoto et al. performed very precise measurements of the surface tension of liquid ³He, (T), at low temperatures and found that (T) exhibits a small maximum at about 100 mK. Existing theories are unable to explain this anomaly. On the basis of a local approximation for the entropy in which the Fermi liquid effect is included, we can evaluate the variation of (T), (T)=(T)–(0), as a function of T and of the number density (or the interaction strength). It is found that (T) consists of two terms; a T² term and T⁴ ln T term. We predict that, for the density of real liquid ³He, exhibits a tiny minimum and a small but relatively larger maximum. This prediction explains qualitatively and quantitatively all salient features of the observed (T).     

A note on the resistance to brittle fracture in various ceramic materials

The square of the ratio of the abraded bending strength, _d, to the unabraded bending strength, , is proposed as a measure of the resistance to crack propagation in ceramic materials. Data for various porcelains, glass-ceramics, and glasses showed that _d is essentially constant and that (_d/)² decreased rapidly with increase of the unabraded strength.     

On internal stress and activation volume in polymers

The two-site model is developed for the analysis of stress relaxation data. It is shown that the product of d In (– )/d and (- _i) is constant where is the applied stress, _i is the (deformation-induced) internal stress and = d/dt. The quantity d In ( )/d is often presented in the literature as the (experimental) activation volume, and there are many examples in which the above relationship with (- _i) holds true. This is in apparent contradiction to the arguments that lead to the association of the quantity d In (– )/d with the activation volume, since these normally start with the premise that the activation volume is independent of stress. In the modified theory presented here the source of this anomaly is apparent. Similar anomalies arise in the estimation of activation volume from creep or constant strain rate tests and these are also examined from the standpoint of the site model theory. In the derivation presented here full account is taken of the site population distribution and this is the major difference compared to most other analyses. The predicted behaviour is identical to that obtained with the standard linear solid. Consideration is also given to the orientation-dependence of stress-aided activation.     

Stress relaxation in hot-drawn low density polyethylene

The tensile stress relaxation behaviour of hot-drawn low density polyethylene, (LDPE), has been investigated at room temperature at various draw ratios. The drawing was performed at 85° C. The main result was an increase in relaxation rate in the draw direction, especially at low draw ratios when compared to the relaxation behaviour of the isotropic material. This is attributed to a lowering of the internal stress. The position of the relaxation curves along the log time axis was also changed as a result of the drawing, corresponding to a shift to shorter times. The activation volume, , varied with the initial effective stress ₀ ^* according to ₀ ^* 10kT, where ₀ ^* =₀ — _i, is the difference between the applied initial stress, ₀, and the internal stress _i. This result supports earlier findings relating to similarities in the stress relaxation behaviour of different solids.     

Investigation of the creep and micropolar creep of various materials under static and dynamic loads

Creep is investigated under a uniform stress state with allowance for the micropolar creep of the following materials: lignostone (T=293°K), steel ON2M (T=773° K), and an AIMgSi aluminum alloy (T= 293° K) understate and cyclic tension, i.e., atA = ^a/^m = 0, 0.25, and 0.5. It is established that for lignostone, the microstrains I₁₁ are two orders lower than 2₁₂ in torsion, and the values of 2l₁₂ are only a half order lower than ₁₁ in tension. The creep strain of lignostone is described using nonlinear theory of viscoelasticity. For alloys and metals under static creep, the value of I_ij is two or three orders lower than _ij A qualitative change in microipolar creep occurs in the case of dynamic loading: whenA = 0.5,the ratio of values of fatigue creep rate 21₁₂/₁₂ = 0.2.A subject investigated in 1990 with funding provided by the Ministry of National Education.Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 12, pp. 18–23, December, 1993.     

The influence of grain size on the creep of uranium dioxide

The creep of uranium dioxide has been investigated as a function of grain size. At high stresses, when creep is controlled by dislocation movement, grain boundaries exert a strengthening effect and this strengthening is correlated with the Hall-Petch equation. The degree of strengthening diminishes with increases in temperature. At lower stresses, when creep is controlled by mass transport, grain boundaries exert a weakening effect owing to the reduction in diffusion path length as grain size is reduced. In this range behaviour is correlated with the Nabarro-Herring equation with stress replaced by an effective stress _E=–₀ where ₀ is a threshold stress for diffusional creep associated with the limitation of the ability of boundaries to emit and absorb vacancies. ₀ appears to decrease as grain size is increased.     

Ageing characteristics of Al-2.5% Li rapidly solidified alloy

The present work was performed on an Al–2.5 wt% Li alloy produced by melt spinning. The ribbons were aged in the temperature range 180 to 310° C for times between 1 min and 120h. The kinetics of coarsening of (Al₃Li) and (AlLi) phase particles were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and hardness measurements. The results show that coarsening of (Al₃Li) follows a simple linear relation with the cube root of Me, whereas coarsening of (AlLi) does not follow the same trend. We believe that the (AlLi) phase nucleates at the (Al₃Li)/matrix interface and grows by the dissolution of the nearby (Al₃Li) particles. The mechanical properties of the powder metallurgy alloy show that a large volume fraction of PFZ contributes to the alloy ductility, 11 %, in the aged condition. Also, the yield strength is greatly improved due to refinement effects enhanced by rapid solidification.     

Fatigue properties of pure metals

The report considers the stress fatigue limit _D, the fatigue to tensile strength ratio _D/R_m, and the deformation fatigue limit _D of pure metals. For FCC and some HCP metals there exists a linear correlation between fatigue limit and tensile strength. The fatigue limit and the fatigue ratio _D/R_m depend upon the homologous temperature. The fatigue ratios of BCC metals are higher than the fatigue ratios of other metals at room temperature as is also true for metals with nearly the same homologous temperature. The deformation fatigue limit decreases rapidly when T_h - 0.5 and T_h 1. When T_h = 1 then _D = 0, _D = 0 and _D/R_m = 0. The deformation fatigue limits of metals belonging to the same subgroup of the periodic element system and having, similar homologous temperatures at room temperature are very similar.

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Zusammenfassung Der Artikel behandelt die Dauerfestigkeit _D des Ermuedungskoeffizienten _D/R_m und die Deformation _D, die der Dauerfestigkeit entspricht. Fuer kubisch flachzentrierte Metalle und einige hexagonal Metalle existiert eine lineare Korrelation zwischen Dauerfestigkeit _D and Zugfestigkeit R_m. Die Dauerfestigkeit _D und der Ermuedungskoeffizient _D/R_m koennen als Funktion der homologischen Temperatur betrachtet werden. Der Ermuedungskoeffizient der kubisch raumzentrierten Metalle ist groesser als der der anderen in Raumtemperatur. Dieses stimmt auch fuer Metalle mit aehnlichen hornologischen Temperaturen. Die Deformation _D, die der Dauerfestigkeit entspricht, faellt schnell ab, wenn T_h > 0.5 und T_h 1, Wenn T_h = 1, darn ist _D = 0, _D = 0 und _D/R_m = 0. Die Metalle, die zu derselben Gruppe des periodischen Systems der Elemente gehoeren and aehnliche homologische Temperaturen (in Raumtemperatur) besitzen, haben sehr aehnliche Werte der Deformation _D.

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Résumé L'article parle de la contrainte de la limite de fatigue _D le facteur de fatigue _D/R_m et la déformation _D correspondante à la limite de fatigue des métaux pures. Pour les métaux du système cubique aux faces centrées (c. f. c.) et quelques uns du système hexagonale (hex. c.) il existe une correlation linéare entre la limite de fatigue _D et de la résistance a la fraction R_m. La limite de fatigue _D et le facteur de fatigue _D/R_m dependent de la température homologue. Les facteurs de la fatigue des métaux du système cubique centre (c.c.) sort plus grands que ceux des autres métaux dans la température de chambre, aussi por des métaux qui ont presque la même température homologue. La déformation correspondante à la limite de fatigue tombe rapidement quand T_h > 0.5 et T_h 1. Quand T_h = 1, alors _D = 0, _D = 0 et _D/R_m = 0. Cettes déformations _D pour les métaux du même groupe du système périodique des éléments sont proches si les températures homologues dans la température de chambre sont analogues.

     

Absence of Phase-Fluctuation Contribution to the Low-Frequency Optical Conductivity in d-Wave Superconductors at Zero Temperature

The behavior of the low-frequency optical conductivity _reg() in superconducting cuprates is, at the present, an open and interesting issue. In particular, since the zero-temperature and zero-frequency limit of _reg() attains a value much larger than the universal value expected within a self-consistent T-matrix calculation, an intriguing possibility is that the collective mode can also contribute to _reg(). By taking into account the effect of dissipation on the collective mode in a d-wave superconductor, we evaluate the phase-fluctuation contribution to _reg(0) within the formalism of the phase-only action. We show that even though the collective mode contributes to _reg() at finite frequencies, approaching the zero-temperature and zero-frequency regime the corrections at _reg() due to phase fluctuations vanish.     

Effect of shot peening on the fatigue and fracture behaviour of two titanium alloys

The fatigue and fracture behaviour of two titanium alloys, the near-alpha IMI-685 and alpha-beta IMI-318, were studied in the machined and polished (MP) as well as the machined, polished and shot (glass-bead) peened (MPS) conditions. Glass-bead peening reduced the room-temperature as well as the high-temperature (450°C) fatigue life of alloy IMI-685 at high stress amplitudes, _a, approaching the proof stress, _ps, of the material (LCF region). When the applied stress amplitude (0–770 MPa, HCF region) was comparable to the peen-induced peak longitudinal residual stress, _LP, i.e. (_LP/a)=0.92, an improvement in the room-temperature fatigue life of IMI-685 was observed. When the (_LP/a) ratio was less than this value, decreases in the fatigue life were seen. The room-temperature fatigue behaviour of IMI-318 at high stress amplitudes was similar to that of IMI-685. The decrease in the fatigue life of this alloy, at a stress amplitude (770 MPa) where improvement was observed for IMI-685, could be attributed to the higher relaxation of peen-induced residual stresses in IMI-318 compared with IMI-685. Glass-bead peening improved the hightemperature (450°C) fatigue life of IMI-685 at a low stress amplitude (465 MPa; (_a/PS)=0.87). The crack-initiation sites in the MP and the MPS conditions were at the surface for both the alloys. However, fracture in the surface layers of the alloys appeared more brittle in the peened (MPS) rather than in the unpeened (MP) condition.     

Stability of Singlet- and Triplet-Charged Excitons in CdTe/CdMgTe Two-Dimensional Electron Systems Around ν = 1

Magnetoluminescence experiments in CdTe/CdMgTe single-quantum well with dense two-dimensional electron gases are performed at high magnetic fields up to 35 T. A broad photoluminescence peak, which originates in the Fermi edge singularity, evolves into singlet-charged excitons under the magnetic field in both ⁺ and ^– polarization. A triplet-charged exciton peak, however, appears only in the ^– polarization, and the intensity of the triplet peak becomes intense above the magnetic field where the singlet peak of the ⁺ polarization crosses the triplet peak. The crossing magnetic field is consistent with the recent theoretical calculation of the magnetic field dependence of the charged excitons by Redliski and Kossut, confirming that the nature of the PL peaks around = 1 can be explained from the viewpoint of the charged excitonic transitions even for the dense two-dimensional electron systems.     

Investigation of the thermodynamic criterion of crack resistance of steels

The article shows the validity of the previously proposed criterion K_Ic = K_Ic ^* + _0.2iK_Ic/_0.2 (K_Ic is reduced crack resistance, _0.2i is internal component of yield strength _0.2) for a wide range of body-centered cubic metals such as iron—carbon alloys (cast iron; low-, medium-, and high-strength carbon and alloy steels). It examines the relationship between this criterion and energy and force concepts of the fracture micromechanism. Existence of a common temperature dependence of the effective yield strength component in ferrite—pearlite carbon and alloy steels in the annealed, normalized, and heat-treated states is established. It is shown that the fraction of effective stress In the total yield strength, i.e., _0.2 ^*/_0.2 controls crack resistance K_Ic over a wide range of temperatures and deformation rates. For impact strength KCV, linear dependences of KCV — KCV/_0.2 and KCV-KCV/HB are observed In the zone of transition temperatures and cold brittleness threshold. A correlation equation connecting KCV and K_Ic over the indicated range is obtained. An applied software package has been worked out for computer-aided prediction of crack resistance and impact strength.Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 8, pp. 14–22, August, 1993.     

The tensile strength and ductility of continuous fibre composites

The plastic instability approach has been applied to the tensile behaviour of a continuous fibre composite. It is shown that the combination of two components with different strengths and degrees of work-hardening produces a new material with a new degree of work-hardening, which may be determined by the present analysis. Expressions for the elongation at rupture and the strength of a composite have been obtained and the results of the calculation are compared with some experimental data.List of symbols V _f volume fraction of fibres in composite - , , true strain of fibre, matrix and composite - s true stress - , , nominal stress on fibre, matrix and composite - _*, _*, _* critical stress of fibre, matrix and composite (ultimate tensile strength) - _*, _* critical strain of separate fibre and matrix - _* critical strain of composite - Q external load - A cross-sectional area - A ₀ initial value of area     

Residual thermal stresses in the pull-out specimen: A finite element calculation

The residual thermal stress field in the pull-out specimen is calculated in the case of a high properties thermoset system (carbon-bismaleimide). The calculation is performed within the framework of the linear theory of elasticity by means of a finite element method. The specimen is modelled as a three-phase composite (holder-fibre-matrix). The meniscus which forms at the fibre entry is taken into account in order to provide a realistic stress concentration. The latter is far higher than the matrix strength. Evidence that fibre debonding propagates from the fibre end during cooling is then produced.Nomenclature T thermal load - L _e embedded length - r _f fibre radius - _c curvature radius of the meniscus (fibre entry) - r _c radial dimension of the finite element mesh - E _m,E _h matrix and holder moduli - E _A,E _T fibre axial and transverse moduli - _m, _h matrix and holder thermal expansion coefficients - _A, _T fibre axial and transverse thermal expansion coefficients - _rr, , _zz, _rz non-zero components of the residual stress field - _rr ⁱ , ^im , _zz ^im , _rz ⁱ stresses at the interface in the matrix (r=r _f + ) - _rr ⁱ , ^if , _zz ^if , _rz ⁱ stresses at the interface in the fibre (r=r _f–) - _p1 maximum principal stress - _zz ^f mean axial stress over the fibre section - _rupt ^m matrix strength - u _r ,u _z non-zero components of the displacement field