Shear Plugging and Frictional Behaviour of Composites and Fabrics Under Quasi‐static Loading

Experimental studies are presented on the shear plugging and frictional behaviour of composites and fabrics under quasi‐static loading. The primary focus is on the effect of specimen thickness on quasi‐static shear plugging behaviour. In the present study, quasi‐static shear plugging and through‐the‐thickness frictional tests are carried out on three types of materials. The materials investigated are 2D plain weave E‐glass/epoxy, 2D plain weave T300 carbon/epoxy and 2D plain weave E‐glass fabric. Typical results on shear plugging strength and frictional behaviour are presented. Effect of specimen thickness on quasi‐static shear plugging behaviour is also investigated.     

Prediction of debonding strength of tensile steel/CFRP joints using fracture mechanics and stress based criteria

In this paper, the debonding strength of axially loaded double shear lap specimens between steel plates and carbon fibre reinforced plastic plates is investigated from the analytical, numerical and experimental point of view. Two steel plates were joined together by two carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) plates and epoxy adhesive in order to realize double shear lap specimens of different length. Failure of the steel-adhesive interface was identified as the dominant failure mode and fracture mechanics and stress based approach are presented in order to estimate the relevant failure load. A good agreement between the analytical-numerical results and experimental data is achieved.     

Evaluation of CTOA from load vs. load-line displacement for C(T) specimen

A method to evaluate crack length and crack tip opening angle (CTOA) using only load vs. load-line data (P vs. Δ) is proposed for sheet materials for the C(T) specimen. The method has been applied to high-strength steel sheet and reasonable agreement was found with results from the surface optical method.     

Correlation of fracture behavior in high pressure pipelines with axial flaws using constraint designed test specimens. Part II: 3-D effects on constraint

This study describes an extensive set of 3-D analyses conducted on conventional fracture specimens, including pin-loaded and clamped SE(T) specimens, and axially cracked pipes with varying crack configurations. The primary objective is to examine 3-D effects on the correlation of fracture behavior for the analyzed crack configurations using the J-Q methodology. An average measure of constraint over the crack front, as given by an average hydrostatic parameter, denoted Q_avg, is employed to replace the plane-strain measure of constraint, Q. Alternatively, a local measure of constraint evaluated at the mid-thickness region of the specimen, denoted Q_Z0, is also utilized. The analysis matrix considers 3-D numerical solutions for models of SE(T) fracture specimens with varying geometries (i.e., different crack depth to specimen width ratio, a/W, as well as different loading point distance, H) and test conditions (pin-loaded ends vs. clamped ends). The 3-D numerical models for the cracked pipes cover different crack depth to pipe wall thickness ratio, a/t, and a fixed crack depth to crack length ratio, a/c. The extensive 3-D numerical analyses presented here provide a representative set of solutions which provide further support for using constraint-designed SE(T) specimens in fracture assessments of pressurized pipes and cylindrical vessels.     

Electrical Properties and Grain Growth Kinetics of PZN-based Ceramics Using Microwave Sintering

Effectiveness of microwave sintering process through investigation of microstructural characteristics and electricalrproperties of x（0.94PbZn1/3Nb2/3O3 ＋ 0.06BaTiO3 ） ＋ （1 - x）PbZryTi1-xO3 （PBZNZT） ceramics with x = 0.6 and y = 0.52 was evaluated. The relative density of 95% was achieved with sintering at 800℃for 2 h. The small grain growth exponents indicate how easy the grain growth in these materials sintered using microwave radiation. Grain growth rate increases abruptly and is higher than that of conventional sintering at a temperature higher than 1050℃. This is attributed to the lower activation energy and higher grain boundary mobility. The activation energy required for the grain growth is found to be 132kJ/mol. Higher remanent polarization （Pr = 50. ltLC/cm2） and increase in remanent polarization with sintering temperature are observed in microwave sintering process when compared to that of conventional sintering process, due to fast increase in grain growth rate and homogeneity in the specimen. The results indicate lower sintering energy and reduction of PbO pollution in the working environment by microwave sintering process.     

Procedure for the evaluation of the accumulation of defects in metallic structural materials under complex elastoplastic loading

Within framework of the continual fracture mechanics, we describe the engineering approach to the assessment of scattered microdamage accumulation kinetics in metallic materials under elastoplastic loading conditions in case of plane stressed state. Automatized experimental stand and the respective investigation technique are discussed. The stand has been developed based on modification of the UMé-10T electromechanic test machine. State-of-the-art computer technologies and microprocessing hardware are incorporated in the stand automation. We present the technique of experimental assessment of damage accumulation kinetics in metallic structural materials under complex elastoplastic loading conditions with account of two different fracture (cleavage and shear) processes, which technique is based on measuring the specific electric resistance of the specimen. __________ Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 1, pp. 128–137, January–February, 2006.     

Mechanism of effects of warm prestressing (WPS) on apparent toughness of notched steel specimens Part II: Calculations and analyses

Based on the experimental results of Part I of present work, this paper describes results of FEM calculations and analyses in details which identified that the effect of tensile-warm pre-stressing (WPS) on improvement of the apparent toughness of notched specimens results from three factors i.e. the residual compressive stress, macroscopic blunting of the original notch, and prestrain-deactivating cleavage initiation. The effects of three factors are separated and is effective for each at various extents of prestressing specified with a prestress-ratio, P₀/P_gy, defining the prestressing load P₀ as a fraction of general yield load P_gy. For values of prestress-ratio lower than 1.0, the residual compressive stress acts as the main factor. Between 1.0 to 1.5 of prestress-ratio values, in addition to the residual compressive stress the macroscopic blunting plays increasing role. The effect of the prestrain-deactivating cleavage initiation presents at the prestress-ratio P₀/P_gy1.2. In the case of compressive-warm prestressing, the apparent toughness is deteriorated due to the residual tensile stress. The effects of complex cycles of WPS, with various steps of loading and unloading different in signs, are determined mainly by the loading step just before the fracturing step.     

用变裂缝单一尺寸试样确定大理岩的断裂韧度

采用具有不同长度裂缝单一尺寸的中心圆孔平台圆盘试件,测定了大理岩的断裂韧度。基于Bazant的尺度律理论,根据有限元分析的结果拟合得到了无量纲能量释放率g(α0)的函数表达式,当无量纲裂缝长度α0=a0/R在0.28~0.51的范围时,与试件形状有关的函数g′(α0)/g(α0)的变化范围为1.0～5.8,能够满足Bazant尺度律公式中对脆性数β范围的需求。由试验结果得到了与试件尺寸无关的断裂韧度的真实值KImc和断裂过程区长度cf。用该方法确定岩石的断裂韧度,能够避免使用较大尺寸的试件,以及为得到足够大的β值范围而使用两种或两种以上试件的准备和试验带来的困难。     

A direct estimate of JIc from the load versus load-line displacement record

The purpose of this study is to examine the current standard fracture toughness test procedure to determine if there could be an easier method to get a J_Ic value from the test record. The current method for determining J_Ic involves a detailed computational and construction procedure. The objective in this study is to simplify the analysis for the determination of J_Ic. The results of this study show that the load and displacement record for a fracture toughness test can be used to directly estimate a J_Q value, a provisional value for fracture toughness, J_Ic. The J value taken at the maximum load point can be used along with an adjustment factor to estimate a J_Q value. This J_Q estimate is close to the one obtained from the construction procedure of ASTM Standard E 1820. When a unit‐sized specimen is tested, that is, a specimen with a width of 50 mm and a thickness of 25 mm the maximum load point provides a direct estimate of J_Q. Other sizes require a size adjustment factor, which is simply a square root relationship between the width of the test specimen and a unit width. The proposed new method of estimating J_Q is simple in concept and requires a minimum number of calculations. It appears to produce values of J_Q which are comparable to those obtained from the ASTM E1820 construction procedure and may produce less scatter.     

Effect of residual stresses on crack behaviour in single edge bending specimens

Residual stresses due to manufacturing processes, such as welding, change the load bearing capacity of cracked components. The effects of residual stresses on crack behaviour in single edge bending specimens were investigated using Finite element analyses. Three parameters (J, Q and R) were used to study the crack behaviour. The J‐integral predicts the size scale over which large stresses and strains exist, the constraint parameter Q describes the crack‐tip constraint as a result of geometry, loading mode and crack depth and the constraint parameter R is used to describe the constraint resulting from residual stresses. To carry out a systematic investigation on the effect of residual stresses on the J‐integral and crack‐tip constraints, models under different combinations of residual stresses and external loads with different crack depths were analysed. It has been shown that the crack‐tip constraint R increased by tensile residual stresses around the crack‐tip. On the other hand, the constraint parameter R decreased and tended to zero at high external load levels.