Thermal shock experiment analysis, the use of crack arrest toughness measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miannay, D.; Pellissier-Tanon, A.; Chavaillard, J.P.

1984-06-01

The main purpose of thermal shock experiment is to assess the procedure codified in the ASME XI appendix 1 or RCC-M-B appendix ZG, and allow comparisons with numerical simulations. The analysis of the integrity of the PWR vessel belt line under accidental transients is based on reference curves. The test-piece is a cylinder of SA 508 cl.3 steel. Arrest toughness measured agrees with reference curve

Considerations for reference pump curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stockton, N.B.

1992-01-01

This paper examines problems associated with inservice testing (IST) of pumps to assess their hydraulic performance using reference pump curves to establish acceptance criteria. Safety-related pumps at nuclear power plants are tested under the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (the Code), Section 11. The Code requires testing pumps at specific reference points of differential pressure or flow rate that can be readily duplicated during subsequent tests. There are many cases where test conditions cannot be duplicated. For some pumps, such as service water or component cooling pumps, the flow rate at any time depends on plant conditions and the arrangement of multiple independent and constantly changing loads. System conditions cannot be controlled to duplicate a specific reference value. In these cases, utilities frequently request to use pump curves for comparison of test data for acceptance. There is no prescribed method for developing a pump reference curve. The methods vary and may yield substantially different results. Some results are conservative when compared to the Code requirements; some are not. The errors associated with different curve testing techniques should be understood and controlled within reasonable bounds. Manufacturer's pump curves, in general, are not sufficiently accurate to use as reference pump curves for IST. Testing using reference curves generated with polynomial least squares fits over limited ranges of pump operation, cubic spline interpolation, or cubic spline least squares fits can provide a measure of pump hydraulic performance that is at least as accurate as the Code required method. Regardless of the test method, error can be reduced by using more accurate instruments, by correcting for systematic errors, by increasing the number of data points, and by taking repetitive measurements at each data point

Small Scale Yielding Correction of Constraint Loss in Small Sized Fracture Toughness Test Specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Maan Won; Kim, Min Chul; Lee, Bong Sang; Hong, Jun Hwa

2005-01-01

Fracture toughness data in the ductile-brittle transition region of ferritic steels show scatter produced by local sampling effects and specimen geometry dependence which results from relaxation in crack tip constraint. The ASTM E1921 provides a standard test method to define the median toughness temperature curve, so called Master Curve, for the material corresponding to a 1T crack front length and also defines a reference temperature, T 0 , at which median toughness value is 100 MPam for a 1T size specimen. The ASTM E1921 procedures assume that high constraint, small scaling yielding (SSY) conditions prevail at fracture along the crack front. Violation of the SSY assumption occurs most often during tests of smaller specimens. Constraint loss in such cases leads to higher toughness values and thus lower T 0 values. When applied to a structure with low constraint geometry, the standard fracture toughness estimates may lead to strongly over-conservative estimates. A lot of efforts have been made to adjust the constraint effect. In this work, we applied a small-scale yielding correction (SSYC) to adjust the constraint loss of 1/3PCVN and PCVN specimens which are relatively smaller than 1T size specimen at the fracture toughness Master Curve test

Fracture toughness evaluation of Eurofer'97 by testing small specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serrano, M.; Fernandez, P.; Lapena, J.

2006-01-01

The Eurofer'97 is the structural reference material that will be tested in the ITER modules. Its metallurgical properties have been well characterized during the last years. However, more investigations related with the fracture toughness of this material are necessary because this property is one of the most important to design structural components and to study their integrity assessment. In the case of structural materials for fusion reactor the small specimen technology (SSTT) are being actively developed to investigate the fracture toughness among other mechanical properties. The use of small specimens is due to the small available irradiation volume of IFMIF and also due to the high fluence expected in the fusion reactor. The aim of this paper is to determine the fracture toughness of the Eurofer'97 steel by testing small specimens of different geometry in the ductile to brittle transition region, with the application of the Master Curve methodology, and to evaluate this method to assess the decrease in fracture toughness due to neutron irradiation. The tests and data analysis have been performed following the Master Curve approach included in the ASTM Standard E1921-05. Specimen size effect and comparison of the fracture toughness results with data available in the literature are also considered. (author)

Materials Reliability Program: Implementation Strategy for Master Curve Reference Temperature, To (MRP-101)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EricksonKirk, M.

2004-01-01

The report provides a framework for a basis to significantly reduce the degree of conservatism in RPV safety assessments according to NRC Regulation 10CFR50.61 and 10CFR50, Appendix G. Procedures and rationale are proposed to address regulatory concerns with the application of the Master-Curve based fracture toughness characterization methodologies. This report address the continued development of strategies for using direct characterization of fracture toughness of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) for integrity assessments. The development of a fracture toughness-based integrity assessment framework will allow for a more realistic assessment of vessel integrity that provides greater operating flexibility while maintaining appropriate safety margins

Dynamic fracture toughness of ASME SA508 Class 2a ASME SA533 grade A Class 2 base and heat affected zone material and applicable weld metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Logsdon, W.A.; Begley, J.A.; Gottshall, C.L.

1978-03-01

The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Article G-2000, requires that dynamic fracture toughness data be developed for materials with specified minimum yield strengths greater than 50 ksi to provide verification and utilization of the ASME specified minimum reference toughness K/sub IR/ curve. In order to qualify ASME SA508 Class 2a and ASME SA533 Grade A Class 2 pressure vessel steels (minimum yield strengths equal 65 kip/in. 2 and 70 kip/in. 2 , respectively) per this requirement, dynamic fracture toughness tests were performed on these materials. All dynamic fracture toughness values of SA508 Class 2a base and HAZ material, SA533 Grade A Class 2 base and HAZ material, and applicable weld metals exceeded the ASME specified minimum reference toughness K/sub IR/ curve

A statistical study on fracture toughness data of Japanese RPVS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Y.; Ogura, N.

1987-01-01

In a cooperative study for investigating fracture toughness on pressure vessel steels produced in Japan, a number of heats of ASTM A533B cl.1 and A508 cl.3 steels have been studied. Approximately 3000 fracture toughness data and 8000 mechanical properties data were obtained and filed in a computer data bank. Statistical characterization of toughness data in the transition region has been carried out using the computer data bank. Curve fitting technique for toughness data has been examined. Approach using the function to model the transition behaviours of each toughness has been applied. The aims of fitting curve technique were as follows; (1) Summarization of an enormous toughness data base to permit comparison heats, materials and testing methods; (2) Investigating the relationships among static, dynamic and arrest toughness; (3) Examining the ASME K(IR) curve statistically. The methodology used in this study for analyzing a large quantity of fracture toughness data was found to be useful for formulating a statistically based K(IR) curve. (orig./HP)

Experimental and statistical requirements for developing a well-defined K/sub IR/ curve. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Server, W.L.; Oldfield, W.; Wullaert, R.A.

1977-05-01

Further development of a statistically well-defined reference fracture toughness curve to verify and compliment the K/sub IR/ curve presently specified in Appendix G, Section III of the ASME Code was accomplished by performing critical experiments in small specimen fracture mechanics and improving techniques for statistical analysis of the data. Except for cleavage-initiated fracture, crack initiation was observed to occur prior to maximum load for all of the materials investigated. Initiation fracture toughness values (K/sub Jc/) based on R-curve heat-tinting studies were up to 50 percent less than the previously reported equivalent energy values (K*/sub d/). At upper shelf temperatures, the initiation fracture toughness (K/sub Jc/) generally increased with stress intensification rate. Both K/sub Jc/--Charpy V-notch and K/sub Ic/--specimen strength ratio correlations are promising methods for predicting thick-section behavior from small specimens. The previously developed tanh curve fitting procedure was improved to permit estimates of the variances and covariances of the regression coefficients to be computed. The distribution of the fracture toughness data was determined as a function of temperature. Instrumented precracked Charpy results were used to normalize the larger specimen fracture toughness data. The transformed large specimen fracture toughness data are used to generate statistically based lower-bound fracture toughness curves for either static or dynamic test results. A comparison of these lower bound curves with the K/sub IR/ curve shows that the K/sub IR/ curve is more conservative over most of its range. 143 figures, 26 tables

The Influence of Instrumented Striker Configuration on the Results of Dynamic Toughness Testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucon, E.

2008-01-01

Several studies are available on the influence of the edge radius of instrumented strikers (ASTM - 8 mm or ISO - 2 mm) on the results of both non instrumented and instrumented Charpy tests. This paper investigates the effect of using either a 2 mm or a 8 mm striker when performing dynamic toughness tests at impact loading rates on precracked Charpy specimens. Existing data from tests run in the ductile-to-brittle region (dynamic Master Curve reference temperature) and in the upper shelf regime (ductile initiation fracture toughness and crack resistance curves) have been analyzed. The results show that 2 mm strikers tend to yield lower cleavage fracture toughness in the transition region (although the effect cannot be considered statistically significant), whereas the influence of striker configuration is negligible in the upper shelf regime when data are generated using the low-blow multiple-specimen technique.

The Influence of Instrumented Striker Configuration on the Results of Dynamic Toughness Testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucon, E.

2008-09-15

Several studies are available on the influence of the edge radius of instrumented strikers (ASTM - 8 mm or ISO - 2 mm) on the results of both non instrumented and instrumented Charpy tests. This paper investigates the effect of using either a 2 mm or a 8 mm striker when performing dynamic toughness tests at impact loading rates on precracked Charpy specimens. Existing data from tests run in the ductile-to-brittle region (dynamic Master Curve reference temperature) and in the upper shelf regime (ductile initiation fracture toughness and crack resistance curves) have been analyzed. The results show that 2 mm strikers tend to yield lower cleavage fracture toughness in the transition region (although the effect cannot be considered statistically significant), whereas the influence of striker configuration is negligible in the upper shelf regime when data are generated using the low-blow multiple-specimen technique.

Application of fracture toughness scaling models to the ductile-to- brittle transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Link, R.E.; Joyce, J.A.

1996-01-01

An experimental investigation of fracture toughness in the ductile-brittle transition range was conducted. A large number of ASTM A533, Grade B steel, bend and tension specimens with varying crack lengths were tested throughout the transition region. Cleavage fracture toughness scaling models were utilized to correct the data for the loss of constraint in short crack specimens and tension geometries. The toughness scaling models were effective in reducing the scatter in the data, but tended to over-correct the results for the short crack bend specimens. A proposed ASTM Test Practice for Fracture Toughness in the Transition Range, which employs a master curve concept, was applied to the results. The proposed master curve over predicted the fracture toughness in the mid-transition and a modified master curve was developed that more accurately modeled the transition behavior of the material. Finally, the modified master curve and the fracture toughness scaling models were combined to predict the as-measured fracture toughness of the short crack bend and the tension specimens. It was shown that when the scaling models over correct the data for loss of constraint, they can also lead to non-conservative estimates of the increase in toughness for low constraint geometries

Application of Master Curve Methodology for Structural Integrity Assessments of Nuclear Components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sattari-Far, Iradj [Det Norske Veritas, Stockholm (Sweden); Wallin, Kim [VTT, Esbo (Finland)

2005-10-15

The objective was to perform an in-depth investigation of the Master Curve methodology and also based on this method develop a procedure for fracture assessments of nuclear components. The project has sufficiently illustrated the capabilities of the Master Curve methodology for fracture assessments of nuclear components. Within the scope of this work, the theoretical background of the methodology and its validation on small and large specimens has been studied and presented to a sufficiently large extent, as well as the correlations between the charpy-V data and the Master Curve T{sub 0} reference temperature in the evaluation of fracture toughness. The work gives a comprehensive report of the background theory and the different applications of the Master Curve methodology. The main results of the work have shown that the cleavage fracture toughness is characterized by a large amount of statistical scatter in the transition region, it is specimen size dependent and it should be treated statistically rather than deterministically. The Master Curve methodology is able to make use of statistical data in a consistent way. Furthermore, the Master Curve methodology provides a more precise prediction of the fracture toughness of embrittled materials in comparison with the ASME K{sub IC} reference curve, which often gives over-conservative results. The suggested procedure in this study, concerning the application of the Master Curve method in fracture assessments of ferritic steels in the transition region and the low shelf regions, is valid for the temperatures range T{sub 0}-50{<=}T{<=}T{sub 0}+50 deg C. If only approximate information is required, the Master Curve may well be extrapolated outside this temperature range. The suggested procedure has also been illustrated for some examples.

Statistically based evaluation of toughness properties of components in older nuclear power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aurich, D.; Jaenicke, B.; Veith, H.

1996-01-01

The KTA code 3201.2 contains provisions for the evaluation of K Ic values measured in components, but there are no instructions on how to proceed. According to the present state of the art in science and technology, fracture toughness values K Ic (T) should be evaluated statistically in order to specify the relationship to the loading values K I (T). The 'Master Curve' concept of Wallin yields too flat a curve shape at high temperatures. The statistical evaluation of K Ic values can also be carried out with the KTA-K Ic reference temperature function assuming a normal distribution of the measuring values. The KTA-K Ic reference temperature curve approximately corresponds to a fracture probability of 5 % when the KTA-K Ic reference temperature function is used for the statistical evaluation of the test results. Conclusions for the assessment of the safe distances can be drawn from the steeper shape of the KTA-K Ic reference temperature function in comparison to the 'Master Curve'. (orig.) [de

Fracture toughness evaluations of TP304 stainless steel pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudland, D.L.; Brust, F.W.; Wilkowski, G.M.

1997-02-01

In the IPIRG-1 program, the J-R curve calculated for a 16-inch nominal diameter, Schedule 100 TP304 stainless steel (DP2-A8) surface-cracked pipe experiment (Experiment 1.3-3) was considerably lower than the quasi-static, monotonic J-R curve calculated from a C(T) specimen (A8-12a). The results from several related investigations conducted to determine the cause of the observed toughness difference are: (1) chemical analyses on sections of Pipe DP2-A8 from several surface-cracked pipe and material property specimen fracture surfaces indicate that there are two distinct heats of material within Pipe DP2-A8 that differ in chemical composition; (2) SEN(T) specimen experimental results indicate that the toughness of a surface-cracked specimen is highly dependent on the depth of the initial crack, in addition, the J-R curves from the SEN(T) specimens closely match the J-R curve from the surface-cracked pipe experiment; (3) C(T) experimental results suggest that there is a large difference in the quasi-static, monotonic toughness between the two heats of DP2-A8, as well as a toughness degradation in the lower toughness heat of material (DP2-A8II) when loaded with a dynamic, cyclic (R = -0.3) loading history

Finite Element Simulation of Fracture Toughness Test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, Seok Jae; Liu, Cong Hao

2013-01-01

Finite element simulations of tensile tests were performed to determine the equivalent stress - equivalent plastic strain curves, critical equivalent stresses, and critical equivalent plastic strains. Then, the curves were used as inputs to finite element simulations of fracture toughness tests to determine the plane strain fracture toughness. The critical COD was taken as the COD when the equivalent plastic strain at the crack tip reached a critical value, and it was used as a crack growth criterion. The relationship between the critical COD and the critical equivalent plastic strain or the reduction of area was found. The relationship between the plane strain fracture toughness and the product of the critical equivalent stress and the critical equivalent plastic strain was also found

Variations of fracture toughness and stress-strain curve of cold worked stainless steel and their influence on failure strength of cracked pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamaya, Masayuki

2016-01-01

In order to assess failure probability of cracked components, it is important to know the variations of the material properties and their influence on the failure load assessment. In this study, variations of the fracture toughness and stress-strain curve were investigated for cold worked stainless steel. The variations of the 0.2% proof and ultimate strengths obtained using 8 specimens of 20% cold worked stainless steel (CW20) were 77 MPa and 81 MPa, respectively. The respective variations were decreased to 13 and 21 MPa for 40% cold worked material (CW40). Namely, the variation in the tensile strength was decreased by hardening. The COVs (coefficients of variation) of fracture toughness were 7.3% and 16.7% for CW20 and CW40, respectively. Namely, the variation in the fracture toughness was increased by hardening. Then, in order to investigate the influence of the variations in the material properties on failure load of a cracked pipe, flaw assessments were performed for a cracked pipe subjected to a global bending load. Using the obtained material properties led to variation in the failure load. The variation in the failure load of the cracked pipe caused by the variation in the stress-strain curve was less than 1.5% for the COV. The variation in the failure load caused by fracture toughness variation was relatively large for CW40, although it was less than 2.0% for the maximum case. It was concluded that the hardening induced by cold working does not cause significant variation in the failure load of cracked stainless steel pipe. (author)

Fracture toughness evaluation of a low upper-shelf weld metal from the Midland Reactor using the master curve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, D.E.; Sokolov, M.A.; Nanstad, R.K.

1997-01-01

The primary objective of the Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation (HSSI) Program Tenth Irradiation Series was to develop a fracture mechanics evaluation of weld metal WF-70, which was taken from the beltline and nozzle course girth weld joints of the Midland Reactor vessel. This material became available when Consumers Power Company of Midland, Michigan, decided to abort plans to operate their nuclear power plant. WF-70 is classified as a low upper-shelf steel primarily due to the Linde 80 flux that was used in the submerged-arc welding process. The master curve concept is introduced to model the transition range fracture toughness when the toughness is quantified in terms of K Jc values. K Jc is an elastic-plastic stress intensity factor calculated by conversion from J c ; i.e., J-integral at onset of cleavage instability

Scatter modelling of fracture toughness data for reactor pressure vessel structural integrity assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pesoz, M.

1997-01-01

In the last decade, there has been an increasing interest at EDF in developing and applying probabilistic methods for a variety of purposes. In the field of structural integrity and reliability they are used to evaluate the effect of deterioration due to ageing mechanisms, mainly on major passive structural components such as reactor pressure vessel, steam generator and piping in nuclear plants. Such approaches provide an attractive supplement to the more conventional deterministic method, based upon pessimistic assumptions, that give results too far from reality to support effective decisions. In addition to deterministic calculations, a Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics model has been developed in order to analyse the risk of brittle failure of the reactor pressure vessel and to perform sensitivity studies. The material fracture toughness (K IC ) uncertainty appears to be strongly influencing the probability of failure under accidental conditions. Up to now, this parameter is determined from the RCC-M code reference curve, which is the same as the ASME reference curve. But an important issue when performing probabilistic analysis is the correct statistical modelling of input parameters. That's why modelling works have been carried out using results of fracture toughness tests performed for demonstrating the validity of the reference curve. This paper presents the statistical treatments that have been performed to model the scatter of temperature dependent parameter (K IC (T). A specific data base containing a few hundreds of French and US results have been carried and Weibull models have been fitted, based on various master curve equations (K. Wallin (Senior Adviser at the Technical Research Centre of Finland) or RCC-M types). (author)

Prediction of fracture toughness K/sub Ic/ of steel from Charpy impact test results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwadate, Tadao; Tanaka, Yasuhiko; Takemata, Hiroyuki; Terashima, Shuhei

1986-08-01

This paper presents a method to predict the fracture toughness K/sub Ic/ and/or K/sub Id/ of steels using their Charpy impact test results and tensile properties. The fracture toughness, Charpy impact and tensile properties of 2 1/4 Cr-1Mo, ASTM A508 Cl.1, A508 Cl.2 A508 Cl.3 and A533 Gr.B Cl.1 steels were measured and analysed on the basis of the excess temperature (test temperature minus FATT) and Rolfe-Novak correlation. The relationship between K/sub Ic//K/sub Ic-us/ and the excess temperature, where K/sub Ic-us/ is the upper-shelf fracture toughness K/sub Ic/ predicted by Rolfe-Novak correlation, discloses that the K/sub Ic/ transition curves of several steels are representable by only one trend curve of K/sub Ic//K/sub Ic-us/ or K/sub Id//K/sub Id-us/ versus excess temperature relation. This curve is denoted as a ''master curve''. By using this curve, the fracture toughness of steel can be predicted using Charpy impact and tensile test results. By taking account of the scattering of both the fracture toughness and Charpy impact test results, the confidence limits of the master curve were also determined. Another approach to develop more general procedure of predicting the fracture toughness K/sub Ic/ is also discussed.

Implementation of the Master Curve method in ProSACC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feilitzen, Carl von; Sattari-Far, Iradj [Inspecta Technology AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

2012-03-15

Cleavage fracture toughness data display normally large amount of statistical scatter in the transition region. The cleavage toughness data in this region is specimen size-dependent, and should be treated statistically rather than deterministically. Master Curve methodology is a procedure for mechanical testing and statistical analysis of fracture toughness of ferritic steels in the transition region. The methodology accounts for temperature and size dependence of fracture toughness. Using the Master Curve methodology for evaluation of the fracture toughness in the transition region releases the overconservatism that has been observed in using the ASME-KIC curve. One main advantage of using the Master Curve methodology is possibility to use small Charpy-size specimens to determine fracture toughness. Detailed description of the Master Curve methodology is given by Sattari-Far and Wallin [2005). ProSACC is a suitable program in using for structural integrity assessments of components containing crack like defects and for defect tolerance analysis. The program gives possibilities to conduct assessments based on deterministic or probabilistic grounds. The method utilized in ProSACC is based on the R6-method developed at Nuclear Electric plc, Milne et al [1988]. The basic assumption in this method is that fracture in a cracked body can be described by two parameters Kr and Lr. The parameter Kr is the ratio between the stress intensity factor and the fracture toughness of the material. The parameter Lr is the ratio between applied load and the plastic limit load of the structure. The ProSACC assessment results are therefore highly dependent on the applied fracture toughness value in the assessment. In this work, the main options of the Master Curve methodology are implemented in the ProSACC program. Different options in evaluating Master Curve fracture toughness from standard fracture toughness testing data or impact testing data are considered. In addition, the

Implementation of the Master Curve method in ProSACC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feilitzen, Carl von; Sattari-Far, Iradj

2012-03-01

Cleavage fracture toughness data display normally large amount of statistical scatter in the transition region. The cleavage toughness data in this region is specimen size-dependent, and should be treated statistically rather than deterministically. Master Curve methodology is a procedure for mechanical testing and statistical analysis of fracture toughness of ferritic steels in the transition region. The methodology accounts for temperature and size dependence of fracture toughness. Using the Master Curve methodology for evaluation of the fracture toughness in the transition region releases the overconservatism that has been observed in using the ASME-KIC curve. One main advantage of using the Master Curve methodology is possibility to use small Charpy-size specimens to determine fracture toughness. Detailed description of the Master Curve methodology is given by Sattari-Far and Wallin [2005). ProSACC is a suitable program in using for structural integrity assessments of components containing crack like defects and for defect tolerance analysis. The program gives possibilities to conduct assessments based on deterministic or probabilistic grounds. The method utilized in ProSACC is based on the R6-method developed at Nuclear Electric plc, Milne et al [1988]. The basic assumption in this method is that fracture in a cracked body can be described by two parameters Kr and Lr. The parameter Kr is the ratio between the stress intensity factor and the fracture toughness of the material. The parameter Lr is the ratio between applied load and the plastic limit load of the structure. The ProSACC assessment results are therefore highly dependent on the applied fracture toughness value in the assessment. In this work, the main options of the Master Curve methodology are implemented in the ProSACC program. Different options in evaluating Master Curve fracture toughness from standard fracture toughness testing data or impact testing data are considered. In addition, the

Miniature Precracked Charpy Specimens for Measuring the Master Curve Reference Temperature of RPV Steels at Impact Loading Rates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucon, E.; Scibetta, M.; Puzzolante, L.

2008-10-15

In the framework of the 2006 Convention, we investigated the applicability of fatigue precracked miniature Charpy specimens of KLST type (MPCC - B = 3 mm, W = 4 mm and L = 27 mm) for impact toughness measurements, using the well-characterized JRQ RPV steel. In the ductile to-brittle transition region, MPCC tests analyzed using the Master Curve approach and compared to data previously obtained from PCC specimens had shown a more ductile behavior and therefore un conservative results. In the investigation presented in this report, two additional RPV steels have been used to compare the performance of impact-tested MPCC and PCC specimens in the transition regime: the low-toughness JSPS steel and the high-toughness 20MnMoNi55 steel. The results obtained (excellent agreement for 20MnMoNi55 and considerable differences between T0 values for JSPS) are contradictory and do not presently allow qualifying the MPCC specimens as a reliable alternative to PCC samples for impact toughness measurements.

Evaluation of WWER-1000 vessel materials fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grinik, Eh.U.; Revka, V.N.; Chirko, L.I.; Chajkovskij, Yu.V.

2007-01-01

The lifetime of WWER-1000-type reactor vessels is finally conditioned by the fracture toughness (crack growth resistance) of RPV materials. Up to now in line with the regulations the fracture toughness is characterized by the critical temperature of brittleness determined by the results of the Charpy specimen impact testing. Such approach is typical for all countries operating the water pressure reactors. However, regulatory approach is known from the western specialists not always to characterize adequately the crack growth resistance of the vessel materials and in some cases to underestimate their characteristics in the reference state that leads to unreasonably high conservatism. Excessive conservatism may lead to the invalid restrictions in the operating modes and the service life of the reactor vessel. Therefore there appeared the necessity to apply another approaches based on the state-of-the-art experimental methods of the fracture mechanics and allowing evaluating the fracture toughness parameters sufficiently. The paper presents the results of the comparison of the regulatory approach and the Master curve approach from the point of view of the adequate determination of the vessel material crack growth resistance parameters. Analysis of the experimental data of the surveillance specimens illustrated the potential possibility of applying the new statistical method for the WWER-1000- type reactor vessel lifetime extension

Dynamic Toughness Testing of Pre-Cracked Charpy V-Notch Specimens. Convention ELECTRABEL - SCK-CEN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucon, E

1999-04-01

This document describes the experimental and analytical procedures which have been adopted at the laboratories of the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN for performing dynamic toughness tests on pre-cracked Charpy-V specimens. Such procedures were chosen on the basis of the existing literature on the subject, with several updates in the data analysis stages which reflect more recent developments in fracture toughness testing. Qualification tests have been carried out on PCCv specimens of JRQ steel, in order to assess the reliability of the results obtained; straightforward comparisons with reference data have been performed, as well as more advanced analyses using the Master Curve approach. Aspects related to machine compliance and dynamic tup calibration have also been addressed.

On the proper fracture toughness properties to be used for pressurized thermal shock evaluations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Server, W.L.

1997-01-01

The traditional approach in the U.S. for evaluating PTS has relied upon probabilistic studies in which the toughness has been based upon the data used to generated the lower bound ASME Code K IC and K IR curves. A mean curve through this data with a Gaussian statistical distribution assumed, except for a lower bound cutoff of somewhere between 2 and 3 standard deviations, has been used. The RT NDT normalizing concept has been maintained which then requires the measured shift in Charpy V-notch toughness at the 41 J (30 ft-lb) energy level be used to adjust the position of the Code curves. The Master Curve method provides a unique alternative in providing a much better measure of real fracture toughness, plus the opportunity to use a more refined statistical distribution using Weibull statistics. There are active moves in the U.S. to Standardize and Codify the Master Curve (also termed T 0 method). Benefits to both deterministic and probabilistic analyses will be realized since more realistic measures of toughness can be used

On the proper fracture toughness properties to be used for pressurized thermal shock evaluations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Server, W L [ATI Consulting, Danville, CA (United States)

1997-09-01

The traditional approach in the U.S. for evaluating PTS has relied upon probabilistic studies in which the toughness has been based upon the data used to generated the lower bound ASME Code K{sub IC} and K{sub IR} curves. A mean curve through this data with a Gaussian statistical distribution assumed, except for a lower bound cutoff of somewhere between 2 and 3 standard deviations, has been used. The RT{sub NDT} normalizing concept has been maintained which then requires the measured shift in Charpy V-notch toughness at the 41 J (30 ft-lb) energy level be used to adjust the position of the Code curves. The Master Curve method provides a unique alternative in providing a much better measure of real fracture toughness, plus the opportunity to use a more refined statistical distribution using Weibull statistics. There are active moves in the U.S. to Standardize and Codify the Master Curve (also termed T{sub 0} method). Benefits to both deterministic and probabilistic analyses will be realized since more realistic measures of toughness can be used.

Flexural toughness of steel fiber reinforced high performance concrete containing nano-SiO2 and fly ash.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Zhao, Ya-Nan; Li, Qing-Fu; Wang, Peng; Zhang, Tian-Hang

2014-01-01

This paper aims to clarify the effect of steel fiber on the flexural toughness of the high performance concrete containing fly ash and nano-SiO2. The flexural toughness was evaluated by two methods, which are based on ASTM C1018 and DBV-1998, respectively. By means of three-point bending method, the flexural toughness indices, variation coefficients of bearing capacity, deformation energy, and equivalent flexural strength of the specimen were measured, respectively, and the relational curves between the vertical load and the midspan deflection (P(V)-δ) were obtained. The results indicate that steel fiber has great effect on the flexural toughness parameters and relational curves (P(V)-δ) of the three-point bending beam specimen. When the content of steel fiber increases from 0.5% to 2%, the flexural toughness parameters increase gradually and the curves are becoming plumper and plumper with the increase of steel fiber content, respectively. However these flexural toughness parameters begin to decrease and the curves become thinner and thinner after the steel fiber content exceeds 2%. It seems that the contribution of steel fiber to the improvement of flexural toughness of the high performance concrete containing fly ash and nano-SiO2 is well performed only when the steel fiber content is less than 2%.

FLEXURAL TOUGHNESS OF STEEL FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fehmi ÇİVİCİ

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Fiber concrete is a composite material which has mechanical and physical characteristics unlike plain concrete. One of the important mechanical characteristics of fiber concrete is its energy absorbing capability. This characteristics which is also called toughness, is defined as the total area under the load-deflection curve. A number of composite characteristics such as crack resistance, ductility and impact resistance are related to the energy absorbtion capacity. According to ASTM C 1018 and JSCE SF-4 the calculation of toughness is determined by uniaxial flexural testing. Fiber concrete is often used in plates such as bridge decks, airport pavements, parking areas, subjected to cavitation and erosion. In this paper, toughness has been determined according to ASTM C 1018 and JSCE SF-4 methods by testing beam specimens. Energy absorbing capacities of plain and steel fiber reinforced concrete has been compared by evaluating the results of two methods. Also plain and steel fiber reinforced plate specimens behaviors subjected to biaxial flexure are compared by the loaddeflection curves of each specimen.

Estimation of fracture toughness of cast stainless steels during thermal aging in LWR systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, O.K.

1991-06-01

A procedure and correlations are presented for predicting the change in fracture toughness of cast stainless steel components due to thermal aging during service in light water rectors (LWRs) at 280--330 degrees C (535--625 degrees F). The fracture toughness J-R curve and Charpy-impact energy of aged cast stainless steels are estimated from known mineral in formation. Fracture toughness of a specific cast stainless steel is estimated from the extent and kinetics of thermal embrittlement. The extent of thermal embrittlement is characterized by the room-temperature ''normalized'' Charpy-impact energy. A correlation for the extent of embrittlement at ''saturation,'' i.e., the minimum impact energy that would be achieved for the material after long-term aging, is given in terms of a material parameter, Φ, which is determined from the chemical composition. The fracture toughness J-R curve for the material is then obtained from correlations between room-temperature Charpy-impact energy and fracture toughness parameters. Fracture toughness as a function of time and temperature of reactor service is estimated from the kinetics of thermal embrittlement, which is determined from chemical composition. A common ''lower-bound'' J-R curve for cast stainless steels with unknown chemical composition is also defined for a given material specification, ferrite content, and temperature. Examples for estimating impact strength and fracture toughness of cast stainless steel components during reactor service are describes. 24 refs., 39 figs., 2 tabs

Estimation of fracture toughness of cast stainless steels during thermal aging in LWR systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chopra, O.K. (Argonne National Lab., IL (USA))

1991-06-01

A procedure and correlations are presented for predicting the change in fracture toughness of cast stainless steel components due to thermal aging during service in light water rectors (LWRs) at 280--330{degrees}C (535--625{degrees}F). The fracture toughness J-R curve and Charpy-impact energy of aged cast stainless steels are estimated from known mineral in formation. Fracture toughness of a specific cast stainless steel is estimated from the extent and kinetics of thermal embrittlement. The extent of thermal embrittlement is characterized by the room-temperature normalized'' Charpy-impact energy. A correlation for the extent of embrittlement at saturation,'' i.e., the minimum impact energy that would be achieved for the material after long-term aging, is given in terms of a material parameter, {Phi}, which is determined from the chemical composition. The fracture toughness J-R curve for the material is then obtained from correlations between room-temperature Charpy-impact energy and fracture toughness parameters. Fracture toughness as a function of time and temperature of reactor service is estimated from the kinetics of thermal embrittlement, which is determined from chemical composition. A common lower-bound'' J-R curve for cast stainless steels with unknown chemical composition is also defined for a given material specification, ferrite content, and temperature. Examples for estimating impact strength and fracture toughness of cast stainless steel components during reactor service are describes. 24 refs., 39 figs., 2 tabs.

Fracture toughness evaluation in the transition region of reactor pressure vessel steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onizawa, K.; Suzuki, M.

1995-01-01

The fracture toughness (K jc and Jc) values at the cleavage fracture initiation in the transition region of a RPV steel were investigated using mainly precracked Charpy specimens. A conventional statistical approach and a fractographic study were applied to analyze the scatter of the fracture toughness values from precracked Charpy specimens. The material used was an ASTM A533B class 1 steel, which was designated as an IAEA correlation monitor material, JRQ. A lower bound transition curve of the fracture toughness for unirradiated condition was determined by the 5% confidence limit from the Weibull and fractographic analyses. The lower bound transition curve after irradiation was evaluated based on the statistics of unirradiated specimens. The results indicated that the shift of the fracture toughness transition curbe were somewhat larger than the Charpy 41J transition temperature. The parameters to determine the lower bound toughness such as the Weibull slope and the amount of ductile crack growth are discussed. The results are also compared with a model based on weakest link theory. (author). 12 refs, 12 figs, 5 tabs

Stainless steel submerged arc weld fusion line toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenfield, A.R.; Held, P.R.; Wilkowski, G.M.

1995-04-01

This effort evaluated the fracture toughness of austenitic steel submerged-arc weld (SAW) fusion lines. The incentive was to explain why cracks grow into the fusion line in many pipe tests conducted with cracks initially centered in SAWS. The concern was that the fusion line may have a lower toughness than the SAW. It was found that the fusion line, Ji. was greater than the SAW toughness but much less than the base metal. Of greater importance may be that the crack growth resistance (JD-R) of the fusion line appeared to reach a steady-state value, while the SAW had a continually increasing JD-R curve. This explains why the cracks eventually turn to the fusion line in the pipe experiments. A method of incorporating these results would be to use the weld metal J-R curve up to the fusion-line steady-state J value. These results may be more important to LBB analyses than the ASME flaw evaluation procedures, since there is more crack growth with through-wall cracks in LBB analyses than for surface cracks in pipe flaw evaluations

Upper shelf toughness of six submerged-arc weldmetals manufactured using Linde 124 flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Druce, S.G.; Hippsley, C.A.

1984-06-01

This paper describes the testing technique, data analysis procedures and results from the first phase of an experimental programme investigating upper shelf toughness of six submerged-arc weldmetals. The welds were manufactured using uncoated, Nickel coated and Copper coated wire electrodes and Linde 124 flux. J integral crack growth resistance curves have been derived from tests on single specimens over a range in temperature from 150 to 290 deg C. The results indicate a general decline in toughness with increasing temperature. At 290 deg C, the levels of initiation toughness from all six welds were essentially constant varying between 152 to 159 MPa square root of m. The Jsub(I)-R curves derived from this work are compared with toughness data used in the Marshall Study Group report of an assessment of the integrity of PWR pressure vessels. (author)

Fracture Toughness Evaluation of Kori-1 RPV Beltline Weld for a Long-Term Operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Bong-Sang; Kim, Min-Chul; Ahn, Sang-Bok; Kim, Byung-Chul; Hong, Jun-Hwa

2007-01-01

Irradiation embrittlement of RPV (reactor pressure vessel) material is the most important aging issue for a long-term operation of nuclear power plants. KORI unit 1, which is the first PWR in Korea, is approaching its initial licensing life of 30 years. In order to operate the reactor for another 10 years and more, it should be demonstrated that the irradiation embrittlement of the reactor will be adequately managed by ensuring that the fracture toughness properties have a certain level of the safety margin. The current regulation requires Charpy V-notch impact data through conventional surveillance tests. It is based on the assumption that Charpy impact test results are well correlated with the fracture toughness properties of many engineering steels. However, Charpy V-notch impact data may not be adequate to estimate the fracture toughness of certain materials, such as Linde 80 welds. During the last decade, a tremendous number of fracture toughness data on many RPV steels have been produced in accordance with the new standard test method, the so-called master curve method. ASTM E1921 represents a revolutionary advance in characterizing fracture toughness of RPV steels, since it permits establishing the ductile to brittle transition portion of the fracture toughness curve with direct measurements on a relatively small number of relatively small specimens, such as pre-cracked Charpy specimens. Actual fracture toughness data from many different RPV steels revealed that the Charpy test estimations are generally conservative with the exception of a few cases. Recent regulation codes in USA permit the master curve fracture toughness methodology in evaluating an irradiation embrittlement of commercial nuclear reactor vessels

Fracture toughness prediction for RPV Steels with various degree of embrittlement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Margolin, B.; Gulenko, A.; Shvetsova, V.

2003-01-01

In the present report, predictions of the temperature dependence of cleavage fracture toughness are performed on the basis of the Master Curve approach and a probabilistic model named now the Prometey model. These predictions are performed for reactor pressure vessel steels in different states, the initial (as-produced), irradiated state with moderate degree of embrittlement and in the highly embrittled state. Calculations of the K IC (T) curves may be performed with both approaches on the basis of fracture toughness test results from pre-cracked Charpy specimens at some (one) temperature. The calculated curves are compared with test results. It is shown that the K IC (T) curves for the initial state calculated with the Master Curve approach and the probabilistic model show good agreement. At the same time, for highly embrittled RPV steel, the K IC (T) curve predicted with the Master Curve approach is not an adequate fit to the experimental data, whereas the agreement of the test results and the K IC (T) curve calculated with the probabilistic model is good. An analysis is performed for a possible variation of the K IC (T) curve shape and the scatter in K IC results. (author)

Fracture toughness determination in steam generator tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergant M; Yawny, A; Perez Ipina, J

2012-01-01

The assessment of the structural integrity of steam generator tubes in nuclear power plants deserved increasing attention in the last years due to the negative impact related to their failures. In this context, elastic plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM) methodology appears as a potential tool for the analysis. The application of EPFM requires, necessarily, knowledge of two aspects, i.e., the driving force estimation in terms of an elastic plastic toughness parameter (e.g., J) and the experimental measurement of the fracture toughness of the material (e.g., the material J-resistance curve). The present work describes the development of a non standardized experimental technique aimed to determine J-resistance curves for steam generator tubes with circumferential through wall cracks. The tubes were made of Incoloy 800 (Ni: 30.0-35.0; Cr: 19.0-23.0; Fe: 35.5 min, % in weight). Due to its austenitic microstructure, this alloy shows very high toughness and is widely used in applications where a good corrosion resistance in aqueous environment or an excellent oxidation resistance in high temperature environment is required. Finally, a procedure for the structural integrity analysis of steam generator tubes with crack-like defects, based on a FAD diagram (Failure Assessment Diagram), is briefly described (author)

Reference Curve for the Mean Uterine Artery Pulsatility Index in Singleton Pregnancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Weichert, Alexander; Hagen, Andreas; Tchirikov, Michael; Fuchs, Ilka B; Henrich, Wolfgang; Entezami, Michael

2017-05-01

Doppler sonography of the uterine artery (UA) is done to monitor pregnancies, because the detected flow patterns are useful to draw inferences about possible disorders of trophoblast invasion. Increased resistance in the UA is associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and perinatal mortality. In the absence of standardized figures, the normal ranges of the various available reference curves sometimes differ quite substantially from one another. The causes for this are differences in the flow patterns of the UA depending on the position of the pulsed Doppler gates as well as branching of the UA. Because of the discrepancies between the different reference curves and the practical problems this poses for guideline recommendations, we thought it would be useful to create our own reference curves for Doppler measurements of the UA obtained from a singleton cohort under standardized conditions. This retrospective cohort study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the Department for Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine of the University Hospital Halle (Saale) and the Center for Prenatal Diagnostics and Human Genetics Kurfürstendamm 199. Available datasets from the three study locations were identified and reference curves were generated using the LMS method. Measured values were correlated with age of gestation, and a cubic model and Box-Cox power transformation (L), the median (M) and the coefficient of variation (S) were used to smooth the curves. 103 720 Doppler examinations of the UA carried out in singleton pregnancies from the 11th week of gestation (10 + 1 GW) were analyzed. The mean pulsatility index (Mean PI) showed a continuous decline over the course of pregnancy, dropping to a plateau of around 0.84 between the 23rd and 27th GW, after which it decreased again. Age of gestation, placental position, position of pulsed Doppler gates and branching of

A statistical approach to the prediction of pressure tube fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandey, M.D.; Radford, D.D.

2008-01-01

The fracture toughness of the zirconium alloy (Zr-2.5Nb) is an important parameter in determining the flaw tolerance for operation of pressure tubes in a nuclear reactor. Fracture toughness data have been generated by performing rising pressure burst tests on sections of pressure tubes removed from operating reactors. The test data were used to generate a lower-bound fracture toughness curve, which is used in defining the operational limits of pressure tubes. The paper presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of burst test data and develops a multivariate statistical model to relate toughness with material chemistry, mechanical properties, and operational history. The proposed model can be useful in predicting fracture toughness of specific in-service pressure tubes, thereby minimizing conservatism associated with a generic lower-bound approach

Effect of Thermal Aging and Test Temperatures on Fracture Toughness of SS 316(N) Welds

Science.gov (United States)

Dutt, B. Shashank; Babu, M. Nani; Shanthi, G.; Moitra, A.; Sasikala, G.

2018-03-01

The effect of thermal aging and test temperatures on fracture toughness (J 0.2) of SS 316(N) weld material has been studied based on J-R curve evaluations. The aging of the welds was carried out at temperatures 370, 475 and 550 °C and for durations varying from 1000 to 20,000 h. The fracture toughness (J-R curve) tests were carried out at 380 and 550 °C for specimens after all aging conditions, including as-weld condition. The initiation fracture toughness (J 0.2) of the SS 316(N) weld material has shown degradation after 20,000-h aging durations and is reflected in all the test temperatures and aging temperatures. The fracture toughness after different aging conditions and test temperatures, including as-weld condition, was higher than the minimum specified value for this class of welds.

Evaluation of dynamic fracture toughness of cold worked 9Cr-1Mo steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sathyanarayanan, S.; Sasikala, G.; Ray, S.K.

2004-01-01

Dynamic J-R curves for cold worked 9Cr-1Mo steel have been estimated from instrumented impact test data at ambient temperature on pre-cracked Charpy specimens using three methods of analysis, namely those by Ray et al., Schindler, and Sreenivasan and Mannan. It is concluded that of these three, Schindler's method is the best suited for the purpose since it gives consistent variations with cold work of dynamic J-R curves and dynamic fracture toughness. Cold work results in substantial degradation in dynamic fracture toughness of 9Cr-1Mo steel

Improvement of strength and toughness of SKD11 type cold work tool steel; SKD 11 gata reikan koguko no kyojinsei no kaizen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukaura, K.; Sunada, H.; Yokoyama, Y. [Himeji Inst. of Technology, Hyogo (Japan); Teramoto, K. [Himeji Inst. of Technology, Hyogo (Japan). Graduate School| Sanyo Special Steel Co. Ltd., Hyogo (Japan)

1998-03-01

Toughness and wear resistance are the factors which affect on the lifetime of cold work tool steels importantly. Generally, both properties show the contrary characteristics. The evaluation of tool steel materials has been carried out focusing on the strength and wear resistance mainly. However, owing to the rapid progress of recent plastic working techniques, usage environments are under the severe conditions more and more. Therefore, it is expected to develop the high reliable cold work tool steels which balanced with toughness including wear resistance. In this study, the strength and toughness of a newly developed 0.8C-8Cr cold work tool steel whose composition was controlled to suppress the precipitation of massive eutectic M7C3 carbides were investigated with reference to microstructure and were compared with conventional SKD11. The toughness was evaluated by the area under the stress-strain curve. As a result, it was clarified that the tensile strength of the newly developed steel designated as Mod. SKD 11 was about 400 MPa higher and the toughness was 1.8 times larger than that of SKD 11 throughout a wide range of tempering temperatures and so forth. 17 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab.

Estimation of quasi-static J–R curves from Charpy energy and adaptation to ASTM E 1921 reference temperature estimation of ferritic steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sreenivasan, P.R.

2014-01-01

Many researchers had suggested a sort of scaling procedure for predicting the quasi-static J–R curves from dynamic J–R curves obtained from instrumented Charpy V-notch (CVN) impact tests using key-curve, compliance or other procedures. Chaouadi, based on extensive tests and literature data, had quantitatively formalized the method and suggested general applicability of his method for a class of steels. In this paper, first, the Chauoadi-procedure is tried on some selected data from the literature (including the data used by Chaouadi and other workers) and an adaptation of the method is suggested using Wallin's as well as Landes's lower bound methods for upper-shelf J–R curve estimation from CVN energy. Using Chaouadi and other data as the benchmark, suitable scaling factors have been determined that enable estimation of quasi-static J–R curves from CVN energy alone, without the need for dynamic CVN J–R curves. The final formulae are given. This new method can be called modified Wallin–Landes procedure. Then this method is applied to fracture toughness and reference temperature (T 0 – ASTM E-1921) estimation from the full Charpy-transition data. The results are compared with those from the author's IGC-procedure, and modifications, if any, are suggested. Based on the new results, it is suggested that the IGC-procedure may be modified as: final T Q-est = T Q-IGC for T Q-Sch dy ≤ 20 °C (in the IGC-procedure the dividing temperature was 60 °C); and for T Q-Sch dy > 20 °C, T Q-IGC = T Q-WLm (different from the IGC-procedre and subscript WLm indicating modified Wallin–Landes procedure). For the 59 or more steels examined (including highly irradiated steels), the T Q-WL estimates at higher temperatures are consistent and conservative; a few non-conservative values are acceptably less than 20 °C, whereas other predictions show non-conservatism of up to 40–50 °C. At lower temperatures, T Q-IGC is consistently conservative and not over

Estimation of quasi-static J–R curves from Charpy energy and adaptation to ASTM E 1921 reference temperature estimation of ferritic steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sreenivasan, P.R., E-mail: sreeprs@yahoo.co.in

2014-04-01

Many researchers had suggested a sort of scaling procedure for predicting the quasi-static J–R curves from dynamic J–R curves obtained from instrumented Charpy V-notch (CVN) impact tests using key-curve, compliance or other procedures. Chaouadi, based on extensive tests and literature data, had quantitatively formalized the method and suggested general applicability of his method for a class of steels. In this paper, first, the Chauoadi-procedure is tried on some selected data from the literature (including the data used by Chaouadi and other workers) and an adaptation of the method is suggested using Wallin's as well as Landes's lower bound methods for upper-shelf J–R curve estimation from CVN energy. Using Chaouadi and other data as the benchmark, suitable scaling factors have been determined that enable estimation of quasi-static J–R curves from CVN energy alone, without the need for dynamic CVN J–R curves. The final formulae are given. This new method can be called modified Wallin–Landes procedure. Then this method is applied to fracture toughness and reference temperature (T{sub 0} – ASTM E-1921) estimation from the full Charpy-transition data. The results are compared with those from the author's IGC-procedure, and modifications, if any, are suggested. Based on the new results, it is suggested that the IGC-procedure may be modified as: final T{sub Q-est} = T{sub Q-IGC} for T{sub Q-Sch}{sup dy} ≤ 20 °C (in the IGC-procedure the dividing temperature was 60 °C); and for T{sub Q-Sch}{sup dy} > 20 °C, T{sub Q-IGC} = T{sub Q-WLm} (different from the IGC-procedre and subscript WLm indicating modified Wallin–Landes procedure). For the 59 or more steels examined (including highly irradiated steels), the T{sub Q-WL} estimates at higher temperatures are consistent and conservative; a few non-conservative values are acceptably less than 20 °C, whereas other predictions show non-conservatism of up to 40–50 °C. At lower temperatures

Nonparametric estimation of age-specific reference percentile curves with radial smoothing.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Xiaohai; Qu, Yongming; Huang, Yao; Zhang, Xiao; Song, Hanping; Jiang, Honghua

2012-01-01

Reference percentile curves represent the covariate-dependent distribution of a quantitative measurement and are often used to summarize and monitor dynamic processes such as human growth. We propose a new nonparametric method based on a radial smoothing (RS) technique to estimate age-specific reference percentile curves assuming the underlying distribution is relatively close to normal. We compared the RS method with both the LMS and the generalized additive models for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS) methods using simulated data and found that our method has smaller estimation error than the two existing methods. We also applied the new method to analyze height growth data from children being followed in a clinical observational study of growth hormone treatment, and compared the growth curves between those with growth disorders and the general population. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of specimen size/type on the fracture toughness of five irradiated RPV materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, Mikhail A; Lucon, Enrico

2015-01-01

The Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation (HSSI) Program had previously irradiated five reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels/welds at fast neutron fluxes of about 4 to 8 x 10 11 n/cm 2 /s (>1 MeV) to fluences from 0.5 to 3.4 10 19 n/cm 2 and at 288 °C. The unirradiated fracture toughness tests were performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory with 12.7-mm and 25.4-mm thick (0.5T and 1T) compact specimens, while the HSSI Program provided tensile and 5 x 10-mm three-point bend specimens to SCK-CEN for irradiation in the in-pile section of the Belgian Reactor BR2 at fluxes > 10 13 n/cm 2 /s and subsequent testing by SCK-CEN. The BR2 irradiations were conducted at about 2 and 4 x 10 13 n/cm 2 /s with irradiation temperature between 295 °C and 300 °C (water temperature), and to fluences between 6 and 10 x 10 19 n/cm 2 . The irradiation-induced shifts of the Master Curve reference temperatures, ΔT 0 , for most of the materials deviated from the embrittlement correlations much more than expected, motivating the testing of 5 x 10-mm three-point bend specimens of all five materials in the unirradiated condition to eliminate specimen size and geometry as a variable. Tests of the unirradiated small bend specimens resulted in Master Curve reference temperatures, ΔT 0 , 25 °C to 53 °C lower than those from the larger compact specimens, meaning that the irradiation-induced reference temperature shifts, ΔT 0 , were larger than the initial measurements, resulting in much improved agreement between the measured and predicted fracture toughness shifts.

Crack resistance curves determination of tube cladding material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bertsch, J. [Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)]. E-mail: johannes.bertsch@psi.ch; Hoffelner, W. [Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)

2006-06-30

Zirconium based alloys have been in use as fuel cladding material in light water reactors since many years. As claddings change their mechanical properties during service, it is essential for the assessment of mechanical integrity to provide parameters for potential rupture behaviour. Usually, fracture mechanics parameters like the fracture toughness K {sub IC} or, for high plastic strains, the J-integral based elastic-plastic fracture toughness J {sub IC} are employed. In claddings with a very small wall thickness the determination of toughness needs the extension of the J-concept beyond limits of standards. In the paper a new method based on the traditional J approach is presented. Crack resistance curves (J-R curves) were created for unirradiated thin walled Zircaloy-4 and aluminium cladding tube pieces at room temperature using the single sample method. The procedure of creating sharp fatigue starter cracks with respect to optical recording was optimized. It is shown that the chosen test method is appropriate for the determination of complete J-R curves including the values J {sub 0.2} (J at 0.2 mm crack length), J {sub m} (J corresponding to the maximum load) and the slope of the curve.

TOUGH2-GRS version 1. User manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navarro, Martin; Eckel, Jens

2016-07-15

TOUGH2 is a code for the simulation of multi-phase flow processes in porous media that has been developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California, USA. Since 1991, GRS has been using the code for process analyses and safety assessments for deep geological repositories and has extended the code by several processes that are relevant for repository systems. The TOUGH2 source code that has been developed further by GRS is referred to as TOUGH2-GRS. The present report presents code version 1.1.g, which was developed in project UM13 A 03400 sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB).

Irradiation effects on fracture toughness of two high-copper submerged-arc welds, HSSI Series 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanstad, R.K.; Haggag, F.M.; McCabe, D.E.; Iskander, S.K.; Bowman, K.O.; Menke, B.H.

1992-10-01

The Fifth Irradiation Series in the Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation Program obtained a statistically significant fracture toughness data base on two high-copper (0.23 and 0.31 wt %) submerged-arc welds to determine the shift and shape of the K Ic curve as a consequence of irradiation. Compact specimens with thicknesses to 101.6 mm (4 in) in the irradiated condition and 203.2 mm (8 in) in the unirradiated condition were tested, in addition to Charpy impact, tensile, and drop-weight specimens. Irradiations were conducted at a nominal temperature of 288 degree C and an average fluence of 1.5 x 10 19 neutrons/cm 2 (>l MeV). The Charpy 41-J temperature shifts are about the same as the corresponding drop-weight NDT temperature shifts. The irradiated welds exhibited substantial numbers of cleavage pop-ins. Mean curve fits using two-parameter (with fixed intercept) nonlinear and linearized exponential regression analysis revealed that the fracture toughness 100 MPa lg-bullet √m shifts exceeded the Charpy 41-J shifts for both welds. Analyses of curve shape changes indicated decreases in the slopes of the fracture toughness curves, especially for the higher copper weld. Weibull analyses were performed to investigate development of lower bound curves to the data, including the use of a variable K min parameter which affects the curve shape

Fracture toughness of stainless steel welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, W.J.

1985-11-01

The effects of temperature, composition and weld-process variations on the fracture toughness behavior for Types 308 and 16-8-2 stainless steel (SS) welds were examined using the multiple-specimen J/sub R/-curve procedure. Fracture characteristics were found to be dependent on temperature and weld process but not on filler material. Gas-tungsten-arc (GTA) welds exhibited the highest fracture toughness, a shielded metal-arc (SMA) weld exhibited an intermediate toughness and submerged-arc (SA) welds yielded the lowest toughness. Minimum-expected fracture properties were defined from lower-bound J/sub c/ and tearing modulus values generated here and in previous studies. Fractographic examination revealed that microvoid coalescence was the operative fracture mechanism for all welds. Second phase particles of manganese silicide were found to be detrimental to the ductile fracture behavior because they separated from the matrix during the initial stages of plastic straining. In SA welds, the high density of inclusions resulting from silicon pickup from the flux promoted premature dimple rupture. The weld produced by the SMA process contained substantially less manganese silicide, while GTA welds contained no silicide inclusions. Delta ferrite particles present in all welds were substantially more resistant to local failure than the silicide phase. In welds containing little or no manganese silicide, delta ferrite particles initiated microvoid coalescence but only after extensive plastic straining

ON THE R-CURVE BEHAVIOR OF HUMAN TOOTH ENAMEL

OpenAIRE

Bajaj, Devendra; Arola, Dwayne

2009-01-01

In this study the crack growth resistance behavior and fracture toughness of human tooth enamel were quantified using incremental crack growth measures and conventional fracture mechanics. Results showed that enamel undergoes an increase in crack growth resistance (i.e. rising R-curve) with crack extension from the outer to the inner enamel, and that the rise in toughness is function of distance from the Dentin Enamel Junction (DEJ). The outer enamel exhibited the lowest apparent toughness (0...

Some fundamental questions about R-curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolednik, O.

1992-01-01

With the help of two simple thought experiments it is demonstrated that there exist two physically different types of fracture toughness. The crack-growth toughness, which is identical to the Griffith crack growth resistance, R, is a measure of the non-reversible energy which is needed to produce an increment of new crack area. The size of R is reflected by the slopes of the R-curves commonly used. So an increasing J-Δa-curve does not mean that the crack-growth resistance increases. The fracture initiation toughness, J i , is a normalized total energy (related to the ligament area) which must be put into the specimen up to fracture initiation. Only for ideally brittle materials R and J i have equal sizes. For small-scale yielding a relationship exists between R and J i , ao a one-parameter description of fracture processes is applicable. For large-scale yielding R and J i are not strictly related and both parameters are necessary to describe the fracture process. (orig.) [de

Use of precracked Charpy and smaller specimens to establish the master curve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, M.A.; McCabe, D.E.; Nanstad, R.K.; Davidov, Y.A.

1997-01-01

The current provisions used in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations for the determination of the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steels employs an assumption that there is a direct correlation between K Ic lower-bound toughness and the Charpy V-notch transition curve. Such correlations are subject to scatter from both approaches which weakens the reliability of fracture mechanics-based analyses. In this study, precracked Charpy and smaller size specimens are used in three-point static bend testing to develop fracture mechanics based K k values. The testing is performed under carefully controlled conditions such that the values can be used to predict the fracture toughness performance of large specimens. The concept of a universal transition curve (master curve) is applied. Data scatter that is characteristic of commercial grade steels and their weldments is handled by Weibull statistical modeling. The master curve is developed to describe the median K Jc fracture toughness for 1T size compact specimens. Size effects are modeled using weakest-link theory and are studied for different specimen geometries. It is shown that precracked Charpy specimens when tested within their confined validity limits follow the weakest-link size-adjustment trend and predict the fracture toughness of larger specimens. Specimens of smaller than Charpy sizes (5 mm thick) exhibit some disparities in results relative to weakest-link size adjustment prediction suggesting that application of such adjustment to very small specimens may have some limitations

The Fracture Toughness of Nuclear Graphites Grades

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burchell, Timothy D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Erdman, III, Donald L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lowden, Rick R. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hunter, James A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hannel, Cara C. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-04-01

New measurements of graphite mode I critical stress intensity factor, KIc (commonly referred to as the fracture toughness) and the mode II critical shear stress intensity, KIIc, are reported and compared with prior data for KIc and KIIc. The new data are for graphite grades PCEA, IG-110 and 2114. Variations of KIc and acoustic emission (AE) data with graphite texture are reported and discussed. The Codes and Standards applications of fracture toughness, KIc, data are also discussed. A specified minimum value for nuclear graphite KIc is recommended.

Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.

1992-01-01

Special fixtures and test methods are necessary to facilitate the fracture toughness testing of small disk compact specimens of irradiated candidate materials for first-wall fusion applications. New methods have been developed for both the unloading compliance and potential drop techniques of monitoring crack growth. Provisions have been made to allow the necessary probes and instrumentation to be installed remotely using manipulators for testing of irradiated specimens in a hot cell. Laboratory trials showed that both unloading compliance and potential drop gave useful results. Both techniques gave similar data, and predicted the final crack extension within allowable limits. The results from the small disk compact specimens were similar to results from conventional compact specimen 12.7 mm thick. However, the slopes of the J-R curves from the larger specimens were lower, suggesting that the smaller disk compact specimens may have lost some constraint due to their size. The testing shows that it should be possible to generate useful J-R curve fracture toughness data from the small disk compact specimens

Strength-toughness requirements for thick walled high pressure vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapp, J.A.

1990-01-01

The strength and toughness requirements of materials for use in high pressure vessels has been the subject of some discussion in the meetings of the Materials Task Group of the Special Working Group High Pressure Vessels. A fracture mechanics analysis has been performed to theoretically establish the required toughness for a high pressure vessel. This paper reports that the analysis performed is based on the validity requirement for plane strain fracture of fracture toughness test specimens. This is that at the fracture event, the crack length, uncracked ligament, and vessel length must each be greater than fifty times the crack tip plastic zone size for brittle fracture to occur. For high pressure piping applications, the limiting physical dimension is the uncracked ligament, as it can be assumed that the other dimensions are always greater than fifty times the crack tip plastic zone. To perform the fracture mechanics analysis several parameters must be known: these include vessel dimensions, material strength, degree of autofrettage, and design pressure. Results of the analysis show, remarkably, that the effects of radius ratio, pressure and degree of autofrettage can be ignored when establishing strength and toughness requirements for code purposes. The only parameters that enter into the calculation are yield strength, toughness and vessel thickness. The final results can easily be represented as a graph of yield strength against toughness on which several curves, one for each vessel thickness, are plotted

Effects of irradiation on initiation and crack-arrest toughness of two high-copper welds and on stainless steel cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanstad, R.K.; Iskander, S.K.; Haggag, F.M.

1990-01-01

The objective of the study on the high-copper welds is to determine the effect of neutron irradiation on the shift and shape of the ASME K Ic and K Ia toughness curves. Two submerged-arc welds with copper contents of 0.23 and 0.31 wt % were commercially fabricated in 220-mm-thick plate. Compact specimens fabricated from these welds were irradiated at a nominal temperature of 288 degree C to fluences from 1.5 to 1.9 x 10 19 neutrons/cm 2 (>1 MeV). The fracture toughness test results show that the irradiation-induced shifts at 100 MPa/m were greater than the Charpy 41-J shifts by about 11 and 18 degree C. Mean curve fits indicate mixed results regarding curve shape changes, but curves constructed as lower boundaries to the data do indicate curves of lower slopes. A preliminary evaluation of the crack-arrest results shows that the neutron-irradiation induced crack-arrest toughness temperature shift is about the same as the Charpy V-notch impact temperature shift at the 41-J energy level. The shape of the lower bound curves (for the range of test temperatures covered), compared to those of the ASME K Ia curve did not appear to have been altered by the irradiation. Three-wire stainless steel weld overlay cladding was irradiated at 288 degree C to fluences of 2 and 5 x 10 19 neutrons/cm 2 (>1 MeV). Charpy 41-J temperature shifts of 13 and 28 degree C were observed, respectively. For the lower fluence only, 12.7-mm thick compact specimens showed decreases in both J Ic and the tearing modulus. Comparison of the fracture toughness results with typical plate and a low upper-shelf weld reveals that the irradiated stainless steel cladding possesses low ductile initiation fracture toughness comparable to the low upper-shelf weld. 8 refs., 12 figs., 2 tabs

A direct method to measure the fracture toughness of indium tin oxide thin films on flexible polymer substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Rwei-Ching; Tsai, Fa-Ta; Tu, Chin-Hsiang

2013-01-01

This work presents a straightforward method to measure the fracture toughness of thin films deposited on flexible substrates. A 200 nm thick indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film is deposited on a 188 μm thick terephthalate (PET) substrate by a radio frequency magnetron sputtering machine. Using nanoindentation to induce brittle fracture on the ITO thin films, the energy release is calculated from integrating the resulting load–depth curve. An approach that directly measures the fracture toughness of thin films deposited on flexible substrates is proposed. A comparison shows that the results of the proposed method agree well with those of other reports. Furthermore, in order to improve the toughness of the ITO thin films, a copper interlayer is added between the ITO thin film and PET substrate. It shows that the fracture toughness of the ITO thin film deposited on the copper interlayer is higher than that of the one without the interlayer, which agrees well with the critical load tested by micro scratch. Further observations on optical and electric performances are also discussed in this work. - Highlights: • A straightforward method to measure the film's toughness • Directly using the load-depth curve of nanoindentation • The toughness is consistent with the critical load tested by micro scratch. • Interlayers can improve the film's toughness. • Optical and electric performances are also discussed

Enhancements to the TOUGH2 Simulator as Implemented in iTOUGH2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finsterle, Stefan [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2015-03-01

iTOUGH2 is a program for parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty propagation analysis. It is based on the TOUGH2 simulator for non-isothermal multiphase, multicomponent flow and transport in fractured and porous media [Pruess, 1987, 1991, 2005, 2011; Falta et al., 1995; Pruess et al., 1999, 2002, 2012; Doughty, 2013]. The core of iTOUGH2 contains slightly modified versions of TOUGH2 modules. Most code modifications are editorial and do not affect the simulation results. As a result, standard TOUGH2 input files can be used in iTOUGH2, and identical results are obtained if iTOUGH2 is run in forward mode. However, a number of modifications have been made as described in this report. They enhance the functionality, flexibilitu, and eas-of-use of the forward simulator. This report complements the reports iTOUGH2 User's Guide, iTOUGH2 Command Referecne, and the collection of tutorial examples in iTOUGH2 Sample Problems.

Heat-treatment and heat-to-heat variations in the fracture toughness of Alloy 718

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, W.J.

1981-07-01

The effect of heat-treatment and heat-to-heat variations on the J Ic fracture toughness response of Alloy 718 was examined at room and elevated temperatures using the multiple-specimen R-curve technique. Six heats of alloy 718 were tested in the conventional and modified heat-treated conditions. The fracture toughness response for the modified superalloy was found to be superior to that exhibited by the conventional material. Heat-to-heat variations in the J Ic response of Alloy 718 were observed in both heat-treated conditions; the modified treatment exhibited much larger variability. The J Ic and corresponding K Ic fracture toughness values were analyzed statistically to establish minimum expected toughness, values for use in design and safety analyses. 26 refs., 10 figs., 9 tabs

Influence of specimen size/type on the fracture toughness of five irradiated RPV materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokolov, Mikhail A [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lucon, Enrico [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States)

2015-01-01

The Heavy-Section Steel Irradiation (HSSI) Program had previously irradiated five reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels/welds at fast neutron fluxes of about 4 to 8 x 10¹¹ n/cm²/s (>1 MeV) to fluences from 0.5 to 3.4 10¹⁹ n/cm² and at 288 °C. The unirradiated fracture toughness tests were performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory with 12.7-mm and 25.4-mm thick (0.5T and 1T) compact specimens, while the HSSI Program provided tensile and 5 x 10-mm three-point bend specimens to SCK-CEN for irradiation in the in-pile section of the Belgian Reactor BR2 at fluxes > 10¹³ n/cm²/s and subsequent testing by SCK-CEN. The BR2 irradiations were conducted at about 2 and 4 x 10¹³ n/cm²/s with irradiation temperature between 295 °C and 300 °C (water temperature), and to fluences between 6 and 10 x 10¹⁹n/cm². The irradiation-induced shifts of the Master Curve reference temperatures, ΔT₀, for most of the materials deviated from the embrittlement correlations much more than expected, motivating the testing of 5 x 10-mm three-point bend specimens of all five materials in the unirradiated condition to eliminate specimen size and geometry as a variable. Tests of the unirradiated small bend specimens resulted in Master Curve reference temperatures, T₀, 25 °C to 53 °C lower than those from the larger compact specimens, meaning that the irradiation-induced reference temperature shifts, ΔT₀, were larger than the initial measurements, resulting in much improved agreement between the measured and predicted fracture toughness shifts.

A summary of the low upper shelf toughness safety margin issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merkle, J.G.

1991-01-01

The low upper shelf toughness issue has a long history, beginning with the choice of materials for the submerged arc welding process, but also potentially involving the use of A302-B plate. Criteria for vessels containing low upper shelf materials have usually been expressed in terms of the Charpy upper shelf impact energy. Although these criteria have had several different bases, the range of limiting values for wall thicknesses approaching 229 mm (9 in.) has remained between 54 to 68J (40 to 50 ft lbs). Allowable values for vessels with thinner walls and/or only circumferential low upper shelf welds might conceivably be less. A decision on criteria to be incorporated into the ASME Code is now being made. Choices to be made concern the method for estimating the decrease in upper shelf impact energy, flaw geometry for circumferential welds, statistical significance of toughness values, the choice between J D and J M , reference pressure, safety factors and the inclusion of tearing stability calculations by means of R curve extrapolation. NRC research programs have contributed significantly to the resolution of the low upper shelf issue. These programs embrace all aspects of the issue, including material characterization, large scale testing, analysis and criteria development. 52 refs., 5 figs

[Reference curves for assessing the physical growth of male Wistar rats].

Science.gov (United States)

Cossio-Bolaños, Marco; Gómez Campos, Rossana; Vargas Vitoria, Rodrigo; Hochmuller Fogaça, Rosalvo Tadeu; de Arruda, Miguel

2013-11-01

Wistar rats are one of the most popular strains routinely used for research in the laboratory to serve as an important research tool, so it requires strict control of variables such as age, sex and body weight, and Thus to extrapolate the results to the human model. To develop reference curves for assessing the physical growth of male Wistar rats according to chronological age and somatic maturation from a non-invasive. The subjects studied were 731 male Wistar rats transversely. We assessed age, body weight and body surface. LMS method was used to construct percentile curves based on weight and somatic maturation. The proposed physical growth curves are used to track the physical growth and nutritional status diagnosis of male Wistar rats. Budgets by cutting points are: P3, P10, P25, P50, P75, P90 and P97. The results suggest that scientists from different areas can use such references, in order to extrapolate somatic growth phases of the laboratory rat and the human model is a non-invasive alternative to assess growth and nutritional status. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Fracture toughness behavior and its analysis on nuclear pressure vessel steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwadate, Tadao; Tanaka, Yasuhiko; Ono, Shin-ichi; Tsukada, Hisashi [Japan Steel Works Ltd., Muroran, Hokkaido. Muroran Plant

1983-02-01

A drop weight J sub(Id) testing machine has been developed successfully, by which the multiple specimen J resistance curve test technique can be applied to measure the fracture toughness. In this study, the use of a small size round compact tension (RCT) specimen for measuring the fracture toughness J sub(Ic) or J sub(Id) of the nuclear pressure vessel steels is recommended and confirmed for the surveillance tests. The static and dynamic fracture toughness of ASTM A508 C 1.2, A508 C 1.3 and A533 Gr.B C 1.1 steels in the wide range of temperature including the upper shelf have been measured and their behavior has been analysed. The fracture toughness behavior under various strain rates and in a wide temperature range can be explained by the behavior of stretched zone formation preceding the crack initiation. The scatter of K sub(J) values in the transition range is caused by the amount of crack extension contained in the specimens. In this paper, the method to obtain the fracture toughness equivalent to the K sub(Ic) from the K sub(J) value is also presented.

Fracture-toughness variations in Alloy 718

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, W.J.; Blackburn, L.D.

1983-04-01

The effect of product-form variations within a single heat on the J Ic fracture toughness behavior of Alloy 718 was examined at 24, 427 and 538 degree C using the multiple-specimen J R -curve method. Three product forms (plate, round bar and upset forging) were tested in both the conventional and modified heat-treatment (CHT and MHT) conditions. In CHT material, the fracture toughness response was different for the three product forms -- plate having the highest toughness, bar the lowest. The MHT was found to improve the overall fracture resistance for each product form. In this condition, plate and forging had very similar toughness values, but J Ic levels for the bar were considerably lower. These results and WHC data previously reported for four other Alloy 718 heats were unalloyed statistically to establish minimum-expected J Ic values based on tolerance limits bracketing 90% of a total population at a 95% confidence level. Metallographic and fractographic examinations of the seven material lots were performed to relate key microstructural features and operative fracture mechanisms to macroscopic properties. Generally, coarse δ precipitates controlled fracture properties in CHT material by initiating secondary dimples that pre-empted growth of the primary dimples nucleated by broken carbide inclusions. The MHT dissolved the coarse δ particles and thereby suppressed secondary microvoid coalescence. This generally enhanced the fracture resistance of Alloy 718, except when alternate secondary fracture mechanism, such as channel fracture and dimple rupture at δ-phase remnants, prematurely interrupted primary microvoid growth. 25 refs., 12 figs., 12 tabs

Tensile and fracture toughness characteristics of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, H. C.; Kim, Y. S.; Ahn, S. B.; Kim, S. S.; Im, K. S.

2004-01-01

The object of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of tensile and fracture toughness of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube. The transverse tensile tests were performed at various temperatures and the fracture toughness tests were carried out at room temperature using the CCT (curved compact tension) specimen. These specimens were directly machined from the pressure tube retaining original curvatures. Also, the fracture toughness of two sets of Zr-2.5Nb manufactured at different time was compared. The chemical analysis and the Vicker's hardness tests were performed at two sets of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube. The Vicker's hardness value of SET-2 containing more oxygen and carbon relatively was higher about 11 than that of SET-1

Colombian reference growth curves for height, weight, body mass index and head circumference.

Science.gov (United States)

Durán, Paola; Merker, Andrea; Briceño, Germán; Colón, Eugenia; Line, Dionne; Abad, Verónica; Del Toro, Kenny; Chahín, Silvia; Matallana, Audrey Mary; Lema, Adriana; Llano, Mauricio; Céspedes, Jaime; Hagenäs, Lars

2016-03-01

Published Growth studies from Latin America are limited to growth references from Argentina and Venezuela. The aim of this study was to construct reference growth curves for height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and head circumference of Colombian children in a format that is useful for following the growth of the individual child and as a tool for public health. Prospective measurements from 27 209 Colombian children from middle and upper socio-economic level families were processed using the generalised additive models for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS). Descriptive statistics for length and height, weight, BMI and head circumference for age are given as raw and smoothed values. Final height was 172.3 cm for boys and 159.4 cm for girls. Weight at 18 years of age was 64.0 kg for boys and 54 kg for girls. Growth curves are presented in a ± 3 SD format using logarithmic axes. The constructed reference growth curves are a start for following secular trends in Colombia and are also in the presented layout an optimal clinical tool for health care. ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fracture toughness curve shift in low upper-shelf welds (series 8)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iskander, S.K.; Nanstad, R.K.; Manneschmidt, E.T.

1995-01-01

This task examines the fracture toughness curve shifts and changes in shape for irradiated welds with low CVN upper-shelf energy (USE). The information developed under this task will augment information obtained from other HSSI tasks performed on two high-USE weldments under the Fifth and Sixth Irradiation Series and on a commercial, low USE under the Tenth Irradiation Series. The results will provide an expanded basis for accounting for irradiation-induced embrittlement in RPV materials. Three low-USE welds have been ordered from ABB-Combustion Engineering (ABB-CE), Chattanooga, Tennessee, and two of them have been delivered to ORNL. ABB-CE fabricated the welds for the Fifth and Sixth Series. Preliminary results of mechanical and chemical tests from these two welds are presented below. The Linde 80 flux was used for all three welds. One weld, Weld 1, was made with the 73W weld wire. Weld wire 73W had copper added to the melt to reduce the variations that are associated with copper-coated weld wire. The other two welds were fabricated with a commercially available copper-coated weld wire, L-TEC 44 heat 44112. One of these two welds, Weld 2, has a target copper level of 0.31 %. This copper level could not be attained using the copper-coated wire, and the coating will be stripped from the wire, which contains 0.07 % Cu. To attain the target copper level, supplemental copper will be added to the weld puddle using an ABB-CE proprietary process. This will slightly delay the delivery of weld 2, the expected delivery date is now the end of April 1995. Weld 3 was fabricated with the same heat of the L-TEC 44 copper-coated weld wire as weld 2, but with supplemental copper added to the weld puddle, which resulted in a weldment containing an average of 0.424 % Cu. The semiannual report for October 1993 through March 1994 discusses the reasons for the above choices of copper content and welding wire

A master curve-mechanism based approach to modeling the effects of constraint, loading rate and irradiation on the toughness-temperature behavior of a V-4Cr-4Ti alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odette, G.R.; Donahue, E.; Lucas, G.E.; Sheckherd, J.W.

1996-01-01

The influence of loading rate and constraint on the effective fracture toughness as a function of temperature [K e (T)] of the fusion program heat of V-4Cr-4Ti was measured using subsized, three point bend specimens. The constitutive behavior was characterized as a function of temperature and strain rate using small tensile specimens. Data in the literature on this alloy was also analysed to determine the effect of irradiation on K e (T) and the energy temperature (E-T) curves measured in subsized Charpy V-notch tests. It was found that V-4Cr-4Ti undergoes open-quotes normalclose quotes stress-controlled cleavage fracture below a temperature marking a sharp ductile-to-brittle transition. The transition temperature is increased by higher loading rates, irradiation hardening and triaxial constraint. Shifts in a reference transition temperature due to higher loading rates and irradiation can be reasonably predicted by a simple equivalent yield stress model. These results also suggest that size and geometry effects, which mediate constraint, can be modeled by combining local critical stressed area σ*/A* fracture criteria with finite element method simulations of crack tip stress fields. The fundamental understanding reflected in these models will be needed to develop K e (T) curves for a range of loading rates, irradiation conditions, structural size scales and geometries relying (in large part) on small specimen tests. Indeed, it may be possible to develop a master K e (T) curve-shift method to account for these variables. Such reliable and flexible failure assessment methods are critical to the design and safe operation of defect tolerant vanadium structures

Fracture toughness testing on ferritic alloys using the electropotential technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, F.H.; Wire, G.L.

1981-01-01

Fracture toughness measurements as done conventionally require large specimens (5 x 5 x 2.5 cm) which would be prohibitively expensive to irradiate over the fluence and temperature ranges required for first wall design. To overcome this difficulty a single specimen technique for J intergral fracture toughness measurements on miniature specimens (1.6 cm OD x 0.25 cm thick) was developed. Comparisons with specimens three times as thick show that the derived J/sub 1c/ is constant, validating the specimen for first wall applications. The electropotential technique was used to obtain continuous crack extension measurements, allowing a ductile fracture resistence curve to be constructed from a single specimen. The irradiation test volume required for fracture toughness measurements using both miniature specimens and single specimen J measurements was reduced a factor of 320, making it possible to perform a systematic exploration of irradiation temperature and dose variables as required for qualification of HT-9 and 9Cr-1Mo base metal and welds for first wall application. Fracture toughness test results for HT-9 and 9Cr-1Mo from 25 to 539 0 C are presented to illustrate the single specimen technique

Fracture toughness of ultra high performance concrete by flexural performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manolova Emanuela

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the fracture toughness of the innovative structural material - Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC, evaluated by flexural performance. For determination the material behaviour by static loading are used adapted standard test methods for flexural performance of fiber-reinforced concrete (ASTM C 1609 and ASTM C 1018. Fracture toughness is estimated by various deformation parameters derived from the load-deflection curve, obtained by testing simple supported beam under third-point loading, using servo-controlled testing system. This method is used to be estimated the contribution of the embedded fiber-reinforcement into improvement of the fractural behaviour of UHPC by changing the crack-resistant capacity, fracture toughness and energy absorption capacity with various mechanisms. The position of the first crack has been formulated based on P-δ (load- deflection response and P-ε (load - longitudinal deformation in the tensile zone response, which are used for calculation of the two toughness indices I5 and I10. The combination of steel fibres with different dimensions leads to a composite, having at the same time increased crack resistance, first crack formation, ductility and post-peak residual strength.

Acoustic emission characterization of fracture toughness for fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei, Hui; Sun, Yuyao; Zhang, Lidong; Wang, Hongqin; Cheng, Laifei

2013-01-01

The fracture toughness of a carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide composite was investigated relating to classical critical stress intensity factor K IC , work of fracture, and acoustic emission energy. The K IC was obtained by the single edge notch beam method and the work of fracture was calculated using the featured area under the load–displacement curves. The K IC , work of fracture, and acoustic emission energy were compared for the composites before and after heat treatment and then analyzed associated with toughening microstructures of fiber pullout. It indicates that the work of fracture and acoustic emission energy can be more suitable to reflect the toughness rather than the traditional K IC , which has certain limitation for the fracture toughness characterization of the crack tolerant fiber ceramic composites.

Experimental determination of dynamic fracture toughness by J integral method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marandel, B.; Phelippeau, G.; Sanz, G.

1982-01-01

Fracture toughness tests are conducted on fatigue precracked compact tension specimens (IT - CT) loaded at K rates of about 2 x 10 4 MPa square root of m/s on a servo-hydraulic machine using a damped set-up. A high frequency alternating current system (10 kHz) is used for the detection of subcritical crack growth during loading. The analog signals from the clip gage, load cell, ram travel and potential drop system are fed into a magnetic tape recorder, filtered and converted to digital data. Load-time and load-displacement-potential curves are plotted and analysed automatically by two different methods, according to the fracture mode: in the lower part of the transition curve, Ksub(ID) is calculated from the maximum load at failure in the linear elastic range (ASTM E399); in the transition and upper shelf regions, Ksub(JD) is calculated from Jsub(ID) at initiation of ductile crack growth in the elastic plastic range. The experimental method described here is applied, as an example, to the study of a low-alloy, medium strength pressure vessel steel (A 508 Cl.3). A comparison is established between the toughness transition curves obtained under quasi-static (Ksub(Jc)) and dynamic (Ksub(JD)) conditions. (author)

Influence of crack depth on the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theiss, T.J.; Bryson, J.W.

1991-01-01

The Heavy Section Steel Technology Program (HSST) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is investigating the influence of flaw depth on the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel. Recently, it has been shown that, in notched beam testing, shallow cracks tend to exhibit an elevated toughness as a result of a loss of constraint at the crack tip. The loss of constraint takes place when interaction occurs between the elastic-plastic crack-tip stress field and the specimen surface nearest the crack tip. An increased shallow-crack fracture toughness is of interest to the nuclear industry because probabilistic fracture-mechanics evaluations show that shallow flaws play a dominant role in the probability of vessel failure during postulated pressurized-thermal-shock (PTS) events. Tests have been performed on beam specimens loaded in 3-point bending using unirradiated reactor pressure vessel material (A533 B). Testing has been conducted using specimens with a constant beam depth (W = 94 mm) and within the lower transition region of the toughness curve for A533 B. Test results indicate a significantly higher fracture toughness associated with the shallow flaw specimens compared to the fracture toughness determined using deep-crack (a/W = 0.5) specimens. Test data also show little influence of thickness on the fracture toughness for the current test temperature (-60 degree C). 21 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

Fracture toughness of irradiated stainless steel alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, W.J.

1986-01-01

The postirradiation fracture toughness responses of Types 316 and 304 stainless steel (SS) wrought products, cast CF8 SS and Type 308 SS weld deposit were characterized at 427 0 C using J/sub R/-curve techniques. Fast-neutron irradiation of these alloys caused an order of magnitude reduction in J/sub c/ and two orders of magnitude reduction in tearing modulus at neutron exposures above 10 dpa, where radiation-induced losses in toughness appeared to saturate. Saturation J/sub c/ values for the wrought materials ranged from 28 to 31 kJ/m 2 ; the weld exhibited a saturation level of 11 kJ/m 2 . Maximum allowable flaw sizes for highly irradiated stainless steel components stressed to 90% of the unirradiated yield strength are on the order of 3 cm for the wrought material and 1 cm for the weld. Electron fractographic examination revealed that irradiation displacement damage brought about a transition from ductile microvoid coalescence to channel fracture, associated with local separation along planar deformation bands. The lower saturation toughness value for the weld relative to that for the wrought products was attributed to local failure of ferrite particles ahead of the advancing crack which prematurely initiated channel fracture

Development of test practice requirements for a standard method on fracture toughness testing in the transition range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, D.E.; Zerbst, U.; Heerens, J.

1993-01-01

This report covers the resolution of several issues that are relevant to the ductile to brittle transition range of structural steels. One of this issues was to compare a statistical-based weakest-link method to constraint data adjustment methods for modeling the specimen size effects on fracture toughness. Another was to explore the concept of a universal transition temperature curve shape (Master Curve). Data from a Materials Properties Council round robin activity were used to test the proposals empirically. The findings of this study are inclosed in an activity for the development of a draft standard test procedure ''Test Practice for Fracture Toughness in the Transition Range''. (orig.) [de

On the Relationship of Hemingway's Tough Guys and the China Dream

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Qin Chenghua

2017-01-01

Tough guys are a series of literary characters in Hemingway's works.The China Dream is a dream that calls on all Chinese people to be hard-working and aims at full development of the self and the nation.To realize the China Dream,hard work,development and environment protection are essential factors.Hemingway's tough guys are famous for their dedication to work and strong willpower in overcoming difficulties and hardships.Some of their reflections are also pertaining to environmental issues.All of these are good references in realizing the China Dream.Thus,to re-read Hemingway's stories about tough guys nowadays is important for Chinese reading pubhc.

Postirradiation fracture toughness of Inconel X-750

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, W.J.

1983-01-01

The effect of fast-neutron irradiation on the fracture toughness response of Inconel X-750 was characterized at 427 deg C using the J-R curve technique. Irradiation exposures ranging from 3 to 16 displacements per atom resulted in a reduction in Jsub(Ic) from 130 to 76 kJ/m 2 and a reduction in tearing modulus from 32 to 2.6. Postirradiation fractographic examination revealed that an intergranular fracture mechanism was dominant, in contrast to the extensive transgranular cracking mode found on unirradiated fracture surfaces. The enhanced intergranular failure observed after irradiation was caused by extensive heterogeneous slip in a matrix that was greatly strengthened by an irradiation-induced dislocation substructure. Specifically, intense planar slip bands impinged on the grain boundaries and generated large stress concentrations. Since the stress concentrations could not be relaxed by the hardened matrix, the grain boundaries 'unzipped' readily, resulting in the low toughness and tearing resistance. (author)

Characterization by notched and precracked Charpy tests of the in-service degradation of RPV steel fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabry, A.

1997-01-01

The current engineering and regulatory practice to estimate fracture toughness safety margins for nuclear reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) relies heavily on the CVN impact test. Techniques to estimate in-service toughness degradation directly using a variety of precracked specimens are under development worldwide. Emphasis is on their miniaturization. In the nuclear context, it is essential to address many issues such as representativity of the surveillance programs with respect to the vessel in terms of materials and environment, transferability of test results to the structure (constraint and size effects), lower bound toughness certification, creadibility relative to trends of exising databases. An enhanced RPV surveillance strategy in under development in Belgium. It combines state-of-the-art micromechanical and damage modelling to the evaluation of CVN load-deflection signals, tensile stress-strain curves and slow-bend tests of reconstituted precracked Charpy specimens. A probabilistic micromechanical model has been established for static and dynamic transgranular cleavage initiation fracture toughness in the ductile-brittle transition temperature range. This model allows to project toughness bounds for any steel embrittlement condition from the corresponding CVN and static tensile properties, using a single scaling factor defined by imposing agreement with toughness tests in a single condition. The outstanding finding incorporated by this toughness transfer model is that the microcleavage fracture stress is affected by temperature in the ductile-brittle transition and that this influence is strongly correlated to the flow stress: this explains the shape of the K Ic n K Id temperature curves as well as the actual magnitude of the strain rate and irradiation effects. Furthermore, CVN crack arrest loads and fracture appearance are also taken advantage of in order to estimate K Ia degradation. Finally, the CVN-tensile load-temperature diagram provides substantial

Development of fracture toughness test method for nuclear grade graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, C. H.; Lee, J. S.; Cho, H. C.; Kim, D. J.; Lee, D. J. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2006-02-15

Because of its high strength and stability at very high temperature, as well as very low thermal neutron absorption cross-section, graphite has been widely used as a structural material in Gas Cooled Reactors (GCR). Recently, many countries are developing the Very High Temperature gas cooled Reactor (VHTR) because of the potentials of hydrogen production, as well as its safety and viable economics. In VHTR, helium gas serves as the primary coolant. Graphite will be used as a reflector, moderator and core structural materials. The life time of graphite is determined from dimensional changes due to neutron irradiation, which closely relates to the changes of crystal structure. The changes of both lattice parameter and crystallite size can be easily measured by X-ray diffraction method. However, due to high cost and long time of neutron irradiation test, ion irradiation test is being performed instead in KAERI. Therefore, it is essential to develop the technique for measurement of ion irradiation damage of nuclear graphite. Fracture toughness of nuclear grade graphite is one of the key properties in the design and development of VHTR. It is important not only to evaluate the various properties of candidate graphite but also to assess the integrity of nuclear grade graphite during operation. Although fracture toughness tests on graphite have been performed in many laboratories, there have been wide variations in values of the calculated fracture toughness, due to the differences in the geometry of specimens and test conditions. Hence, standard test method for nuclear graphite is required to obtain the reliable fracture toughness values. Crack growth behavior of nuclear grade graphite shows rising R-curve which means the increase in crack growth resistance as the crack length increases. Crack bridging and microcracking have been proposed to be the dominant mechanisms of rising R-curve behavior. In this paper, the technique to measure the changes of crystallite size and

Formation of tough composite joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brun, M.K.

1997-05-01

Joints which exhibit tough fracture behavior were formed in a composite with a Si/SiC matrix reinforced with Textron SCS-6 fibers with either boron nitride or silicon nitride fiber coatings. In composites with BN coatings fibers were aligned uniaxially, while composites with Si 3 N 4 -coated fibers had a 0/90 degree architecture. Lapped joints (joints with overlapping fingers) were necessary to obtain tough behavior. Geometrical requirements necessary to avoid brittle joint failure have been proposed. Joints with a simple overlap geometry (only a few fingers) would have to be very long in order to prevent brittle failure. Typical failure in these joints is caused by a crack propagating along the interfaces between the joint fingers. Joints of the same overall length, but with geometry changed to be symmetric about the joint centerline and with an extra shear surface exhibited tough fractures accompanied with extensive fiber pullout. The initial matrix cracking of these joints was relatively low because cracks propagated easily through the ends of the fingers. Joints with an optimized stepped sawtooth geometry produced composite-like failures with the stress/strain curves containing an elastic region followed by a region of rising stress with an increase of strain. Increasing the fiber/matrix interfacial strength from 9 to 25 MPa, by changing the fiber coating, increased matrix cracking and ultimate strength of the composite significantly. The best joints had matrix cracking stress and ultimate strength of 138 and 240 MPa, respectively. Joint failure was preceded by multiple matrix cracking in the entire composite. The high strength of the joints will permit building of structures containing joints with only a minor reduction of design stresses

Fracture toughness behaviour using small CCT specimen of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Dong Joon; Kim, Young Suk; Ahn, Sang Bok; Im, Kyung Soo; Kwon, Sang Chul; Cheong, Yong Mu

2001-03-01

Fracture toughness of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube is the essential data to estimate the CCL(critical crack length) for the concept of LBB(Leak-Before-Break) in PHWR. Zr-2.5Nb pressure tubes could be degraded due to the absorption of hydrogen from coolant and the irradiation. To investigate the fracture toughness behaviour such as J-resistance curves, dJ/da, and CCL of some Zr-alloys (CANDU-double, -quad, CW-E125, TMT-E125, E-635), the transverse tensile test and the fracture toughness test of small CCT (Curved Compact Tension) specimen with 17 mm width were carried out with the variation of testing temperature at different testing condition. To define the fracture mechanism of degradation, the fractographic comparison of fracture surface was performed using the stereoscope and SEM. In addition, the effect of non-uniformed pre-fatigue crack was also studied. In conclusion, CANDU double-melted was less tougher than CANDU quad-melted and the hydrogen embrittlement was found at room temperature. Finally, while the effect of non-uniformed pre-fatigue crack was considerable at room temperature, this effect was disappeared at 250-300 .deg. C

Use of the Master Curve methodology for real three dimensional cracks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallin, Kim

2007-01-01

At VTT, development work has been in progress for 15 years to develop and validate testing and analysis methods applicable for fracture resistance determination from small material samples. The VTT approach is a holistic approach by which to determine static, dynamic and crack arrest fracture toughness properties either directly or by correlations from small material samples. The development work has evolved a testing standard for fracture toughness testing in the transition region. The standard, known as the Master Curve standard is in a way 'first of a kind', since it includes guidelines on how to properly treat the test data for use in structural integrity assessment. No standard, so far, has done this. The standard is based on the VTT approach, but presently, the VTT approach goes beyond the standard. Key components in the standard are statistical expressions for describing the data scatter, and for predicting a specimens size (crack front length) effect and an expression (Master Curve) for the fracture toughness temperature dependence. The standard and the approach, it is based upon, can be considered to represent the state of the art of small specimen fracture toughness characterization. Normally, the Master Curve parameters are determined using test specimens with 'straight' crack fronts and comparatively uniform stress state along the crack front. This enables the use of a single K I value and single constraint value to describe the whole specimen. For a real crack in a structure, this is usually not the case. Normally, both K I and constraint vary along the crack front and in the case of a thermal shock, even the temperature will vary along the crack front. A proper means of applying the Master Curve methodology for such cases is presented here

Use of the master curve methodology for real three dimensional cracks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallin, K.; Rintamaa, R.

2005-01-01

At VTT, development work has been in progress for 15 years to develop and validate testing and analysis methods applicable for fracture resistance determination from small material samples. The VTT approach is a holistic approach by which to determine static, dynamic and crack arrest fracture toughness properties either directly or by correlations from small material samples. The development work has evolved a testing standard for fracture toughness testing in the transition region. The standard, known as the Master Curve standard is in a way 'first of a kind', since it includes guidelines on how to properly treat the test data for use in structural integrity assessment. No standard, so far, has done this. The standard is based on the VTT approach, but presently, the VTT approach goes beyond the standard. Key components in the standard are statistical expressions for describing the data scatter, and for predicting a specimen's size (crack front length) effect and an expression (Master Curve) for the fracture toughness temperature dependence. The standard and the approach it is based upon can be considered to represent the state of the art of small specimen fracture toughness characterization. Normally, the Master Curve parameters are determined using test specimens with 'straight' crack fronts and comparatively uniform stress state along the crack front. This enables the use of a single KI value and single constraint value to describe the whole specimen. For a real crack in a structure, this is usually not the case. Normally, both KI and constraint varies along the crack front and in the case of a thermal shock, even the temperature will vary along the crack front. A proper means of applying the Master Curve methodology for such cases is presented here. (authors)

Influence of hydrogen content on fracture toughness of CWSR Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, R. N.; Bind, A. K.; Srinivasan, N. S.; Ståhle, P.

2013-01-01

In this work, influence of hydrogen and temperature on the fracture toughness parameters of unirradiated, cold worked and stress relieved (CWSR) Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube alloys used in Indian Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor is reported. The fracture toughness tests were carried out using 17 mm width curved compact tension specimens machined from gaseously hydrogen charged tube-sections. Metallography of the samples revealed that hydrides were predominantly oriented along axial-circumferential plane of the tube. Fracture toughness tests were carried out in the temperature range of 30-300 °C as per ASTM standard E-1820-06, with the crack length measured using direct current potential drop (DCPD) technique. The fracture toughness parameters (JQ, JMax and dJ/da), were determined. The critical crack length (CCL) for catastrophic failure was determined using a numerical method. It was observed that for a given test temperature, the fracture toughness parameters representing crack initiation (JQ) and crack propagation (JMax, and dJ/da) is practically unaffected by hydrogen content. Also, for given hydrogen content, all the aforementioned fracture toughness parameters increased with temperature to a saturation value.

Crack and fracture behaviour in tough ductile materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venter, R.D.; Hoeppner, D.W.

1985-10-01

The report describes various approaches and developments pertaining to the understanding of crack and fracture behaviour in tough ductile materials. The fundamental elastic fracture mechanics concepts based on the concepts of energy, stress field, and displacement are introduced and their interrelationships demonstrated. The extension of these concepts to include elasto-plastic fracture mechanics considerations is reviewed in the context of the preferred options available for the development of appropriate design methodologies. The recommendations of the authors are directed towards the continued development of the J-integral concept. This energy-based concept, in its fundamental form, has a sound theoretical basis and as such offers the possibility of incorporating elasto-plastic fracture mechanics considerations in the crack and fracture behaviour of tough ductile materials. It must however be emphasized that the concise defintion of J becomes increasingly suspect as the crack length increases. J is not a material property, as is J IC , but emerges as a useful empirical parameter which is dependent upon the particular geometry and the loading imposed on the structure. It is proposed that 'lowest bound' J-resistance curves and the associated J-T curves be experimentally developed and employed in the design process. Improvements to these 'lowest bounds' can be developed through extensive analysis of the twin J-CTOA criteria and validation of this approach through near full scale tests

Application of Bimodal Master Curve Approach on KSNP RPV steel SA508 Gr. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jongmin; Kim, Minchul; Choi, Kwonjae; Lee, Bongsang

2014-01-01

In this paper, the standard MC approach and BMC are applied to the forging material of the KSNP RPV steel SA508 Gr. 3. A series of fracture toughness tests were conducted in the DBTT transition region, and fracture toughness specimens were extracted from four regions, i.e., the surface, 1/8T, 1/4T and 1/2T. Deterministic material inhomogeneity was reviewed through a conventional MC approach and the random inhomogeneity was evaluated by BMC. In the present paper, four regions, surface, 1/8T, 1/4T and 1/2T, were considered for the fracture toughness specimens of KSNP (Korean Standard Nuclear Plant) SA508 Gr. 3 steel to provide deterministic material inhomogeneity and review the applicability of BMC. T0 determined by a conventional MC has a low value owing to the higher quenching rate at the surface as expected. However, more than about 15% of the KJC values lay above the 95% probability curves indexed with the standard MC T0 at the surface and 1/8T, which implies the existence of inhomogeneity in the material. To review the applicability of the BMC method, the deterministic inhomogeneity owing to the extraction location and quenching rate is treated as random inhomogeneity. Although the lower bound and upper bound curve of the BMC covered more KJC values than that of the conventional MC, there is no significant relationship between the BMC analysis lines and measured KJC values in the higher toughness distribution, and BMC and MC provide almost the same T0 values. Therefore, the standard MC evaluation method for this material is appropriate even though the standard MC has a narrow upper/lower bound curve range from the RPV evaluation point of view. The material is not homogeneous in reality. Such inhomogeneity comes in the effect of material inhomogeneity depending on the specimen location, heat treatment, and whole manufacturing process. The conventional master curve has a limitation to be applied to a large scatted data of fracture toughness such as the weld region

Young's modulus and fracture toughness of silicon nitride ceramics at elevated temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rouxel, T. [Rennes Univ. (France). Lab. de Recherche en Mecanique Applicee

2002-07-01

The temperature dependencies of Young's modulus (E) and fracture toughness (K{sub 1c}) of several silicon nitride-based monolithic and composite materials, are reviewed. A transition range is observed between 1130 and 1180 C on the E(T) curves, which is systematically 150 to 200 C above the T{sub g} of oxynitride glasses of composition close to that of the intergranular glassy pockets. It is thus supposed that this transition reflects the behaviour of the interfacial glassy films. The higher the glassy phase content, the higher is the temperature sensitivity. The presence of SiC particles greatly attenuates the sensitivity. Thus, Young's modulus decreases more slowly with temperature and fracture toughness changes little up to 1300 C. The K{sub 1c} (T) curves exhibit four different stages which are discussed and interpreted on the basis of a theoretical model. (orig.)

The Application of Miniaturized Three-Point-Bend Specimens for Determination of the Reference Temperature of A533 Cl.1 Steel

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stratil, Luděk; Šiška, Filip; Dlouhý, Ivo; Serrano, M.

2017-01-01

Roč. 139, č. 4 (2017), č. článku 041410. ISSN 0094-9930 R&D Projects: GA ČR GJ15-21292Y; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : fracture toughness * Master Curve * the reference temperature * JRQ steel * miniaturized specimens Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics OBOR OECD: Audio engineering, reliability analysis Impact factor: 0.729, year: 2016

Fracture toughness evaluation of small notched specimen in consideration of notch effect and loading rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Baik Woo; Kwon, Dong Il; Jang, Jae Il

2000-01-01

Notch effect and loading rate dependency on fracture toughness were considered when evaluating fracture toughness of small notched specimens using the instrumented impact test. Notch effect was analyzed into stress redistribution effect and stress relaxation with a viewpoint of stress triaxiality. Stress redistribution effect was corrected by introducing effective crack length, which was the sum of actual crack length and plastic zone size. Stress relaxation effect was also corrected using elastic stress concentration factor, which would decrease if plastic deformation occurred. As a result, corrected fracture toughness of the notched specimen was very consistent with the reference fracture toughness obtained using precracked specimen. In addition, limiting notch root radius, below which fracture toughness was independent of notch radius, was observed and discussed. Loading rate dependency on fracture toughness, which was obtained from the static three point bending test and the instrumented impact test, was also discussed with stress field in plastic zone ahead of a notch and fracture based on stress control mechanism. (author)

Characterization by notched and precracked Charpy tests of the in-service degradation of RPV steel fracture toughness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fabry, A.

1997-01-01

The current engineering and regulatory practice to estimate fracture toughness safety margins for nuclear reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) relies heavily on the CVN impact test. Techniques to estimate in-service toughness degradation directly using a variety of precracked specimens are under development worldwide. Emphasis is on their miniaturization. In the nuclear context, it is essential to address many issues such as representativity of the surveillance programs with respect to the vessel in terms of materials and environment, transferability of test results to the structure (constraint and size effects), lower bound toughness certification, creadibility relative to trends of exising databases. An enhanced RPV surveillance strategy in under development in Belgium. It combines state-of-the-art micromechanical and damage modelling to the evaluation of CVN load-deflection signals, tensile stress-strain curves and slow-bend tests of reconstituted precracked Charpy specimens. A probabilistic micromechanical model has been established for static and dynamic transgranular cleavage initiation fracture toughness in the ductile-brittle transition temperature range. This model allows to project toughness bounds for any steel embrittlement condition from the corresponding CVN and static tensile properties, using a single scaling factor defined by imposing agreement with toughness tests in a single condition. The outstanding finding incorporated by this toughness transfer model is that the microcleavage fracture stress is affected by temperature in the ductile-brittle transition and that this influence is strongly correlated to the flow stress: this explains the shape of the K{sub Ic}n K{sub Id} temperature curves as well as the actual magnitude of the strain rate and irradiation effects. Furthermore, CVN crack arrest loads and fracture appearance are also taken advantage of in order to estimate K{sub Ia} degradation. Finally, the CVN-tensile load-temperature diagram

Effect of temperature on the elastic-plastic fracture toughness behavior of Inconel X-750

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, W.J.

1977-09-01

The elastic-plastic J/sub Ic/ fracture toughness response of precipitation heat treated Inconel X-750 has been evaluated by the multi-specimen resistance curve (R-curve) technique at room temperature, 800 0 F (427 0 C), and 1000 0 F (538 0 C). The value of J/sub Ic/ for this nickel-base superalloy was found to be relatively independent of temperature over the test temperature range. On the other hand, the slopes of the fracture toughness R-curves were steeper at 800 and 1000 0 F (427 and 538 0 C) than at 75 0 F (24 0 C), thereby indicating that the resistance to crack extension was considerably greater at elevated temperatures, Metallographic and electron fractographic examination of the Inconel X-750 fracture surfaces revealed that this slope change phenomenon was associated with an intergranular to transgranular fracture mechanism transition. Under room temperature conditions, crack extension occurred primarily by an intergranular dimple rupture mechanism attributed to microvoid coalescence along a grain boundary denuded region. In the 800 to 1000 0 F (427 to 538 0 C) regime, the fracture surface was dominated by a faceted transgranular morphology

Single specimen fracture toughness determination procedure using instrumented impact test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rintamaa, R.

1993-04-01

In the study a new single specimen test method and testing facility for evaluating dynamic fracture toughness has been developed. The method is based on the application of a new pendulum type instrumented impact tester equipped with and optical crack mouth opening displacement (COD) extensometer. The fracture toughness measurement technique uses the Double Displacement Ratio (DDR) method, which is based on the assumption that the specimen is deformed as two rigid arms that rotate around an apparent centre of rotation. This apparent moves as the crack grows, and the ratio of COD versus specimen displacement changes. As a consequence the onset ductile crack initiation can be detected on the load-displacement curve. Thus, an energy-based fracture toughness can be calculated. In addition the testing apparatus can use specimens with the Double ligament size as compared with the standard Charpy specimen which makes the impact testing more appropriate from the fracture mechanics point of view. The novel features of the testing facility and the feasibility of the new DDR method has been verified by performing an extensive experimental and analytical study. (99 refs., 91 figs., 27 tabs.)

Fracture toughness of irradiated wrought and cast austenitic stainless steels in BWR environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, O.K.; Gruber, E.E.; Shack, W.J.

2007-01-01

Experimental data are presented on the fracture toughness of wrought and cast austenitic stainless steels (SSs) that were irradiated to a fluence of ∼ 1.5 x 10 21 n/cm 2 (E > 1 MeV) * (∼ 2.3 dpa) at 296-305 o C. To evaluate the possible effects of test environment and crack morphology on the fracture toughness of these steels, all tests were conducted in normal-water-chemistry boiling water reactor (BWR) environments at ∼ 289 o C. Companion tests were also conducted in air on the same material for comparison. The fracture toughness J-R curves for SS weld heat-affected-zone materials in BWR water were found to be comparable to those in air. However, the results of tests on sensitized Type 304 SS and thermally aged cast CF-8M steel suggested a possible effect of water environment. The available fracture toughness data on irradiated austenitic SSs were reviewed to assess the potential for radiation embrittlement of reactor-core internal components. The synergistic effects of thermal and radiation embrittlement of cast austenitic SS internal components are also discussed. (author)

Ductile fracture toughness of modified A 302 grade B plate materials. Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, D.E.; Manneschmidt, E.T.; Swain, R.L.

1997-02-01

The objective of this work was to develop ductile fracture toughness data in the form of J-R curves for modified A 302 grade B plate materials typical of those used in fabricating reactor pressure vessels. A previous experimental study at Materials Engineering Associates (MEA) on one particular heat of A 302 grade B plate showed decreasing J-R curves with increased specimen thickness. This characteristic has not been observed in numerous tests made on the more recent production materials of A 533 grade B and A 508 class 2 pressure vessel steels. It was unknown if the departure from norm for the MEA material was a generic characteristic for all heats of A 302 grade B steels or just unique to that one particular plate. Seven heats of modified A 302 grade B steel and one heat of vintage A 533 grade B steel were provided to this project by the General Electric Company of San Jose, California. All plates were tested for chemical content, tensile properties, Charpy transition temperature curves, drop-weight nil-ductility transition (NDT) temperature, and J-R curves. Tensile tests were made in the three principal orientations and at four temperatures, ranging from room temperature to 550 degrees F (288 degrees C). Charpy V-notch transition temperature curves were obtained in longitudinal, transverse, and short transverse orientations. J-R curves were made using four specimen sizes (1/2T, IT, 2T, and 4T). None of the seven heats of modified A 302 grade showed size effects of any consequence on the J-R curve behavior. Crack orientation effects were present, but none were severe enough to be reported as atypical. A test temperature increase from 180 to 550 degrees F (82 to 288 degrees C) produced the usual loss in J-R curve fracture toughness. Generic J-R curves and mathematical curve fits to the same were generated to represent each heat of material. This volume is a compilation of all data developed

Comparison of Intralaminar and Interlaminar Mode-I Fracture Toughness of Unidirectional IM7/8552 Graphite/Epoxy Composite

Science.gov (United States)

Czabaj, Michael W.; Ratcliffe, James

2012-01-01

The intralaminar and interlaminar mode-I fracture-toughness of a unidirectional IM7/8552 graphite/epoxy composite were measured using compact tension (CT) and double cantilever beam (DCB) test specimens, respectively. Two starter crack geometries were considered for both the CT and DCB specimen configurations. In the first case, starter cracks were produced by 12.5 micron thick, Teflon film inserts. In the second case, considerably sharper starter cracks were produced by fatigue precracking. For each specimen configuration, use of the Teflon film starter cracks resulted in initially unstable crack growth and artificially high initiation fracture-toughness values. Conversely, specimens with fatigue precracks exhibited stable growth onset and lower initiation fracture toughness. For CT and DCB specimens with fatigue precracks, the intralaminar and interlaminar initiation fracture toughnesses were approximately equal. However, during propagation, the CT specimens exhibited more extensive fiber bridging, and rapidly increasing R-curve behavior as compared to the DCB specimens. Observations of initiation and propagation of intralaminar and interlaminar fracture, and the measurements of fracture toughness, were supported by fractographic analysis using scanning electron microscopy.

Computer aided instrumented Charpy test applied dynamic fracture toughness evaluation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Toshiro; Niinomi, Mitsuo

1986-01-01

Micro computer aided data treatment system and personal computer aided data analysis system were applied to the traditional instrumented Charpy impact test system. The analysis of Charpy absorbed energy (E i , E p , E t ) and load (P y , P m ), and the evaluation of dynamic toughness through whole fracture process, i.e. J Id , J R curve and T mat was examined using newly developed computer aided instrumented Charpy impact test system. E i , E p , E t , P y and P m were effectively analyzed using moving average method and printed out automatically by micro computer aided data treatment system. J Id , J R curve and T mat could be measured by stop block test method. Then, J Id , J R curve and T mat were effectively estimated using compliance changing rate method and key curve method on the load-load point displacement curve of single fatigue cracked specimen by personal computer aided data analysis system. (author)

Graphical user interface for TOUGH/TOUGH2 - development of database, pre-processor, and post-processor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, Tatsuya; Okabe, Takashi; Osato, Kazumi [Geothermal Energy Research and Development Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1995-03-01

One of the advantages of the TOUGH/TOUGH2 (Pruess, 1987 and 1991) is the modeling using {open_quotes}free shape{close_quotes} polygonal blocks. However, the treatment of three-dimensional information, particularly for TOUGH/TOUGH2 is not easy because of the {open_quotes}free shape{close_quotes} polygonal blocks. Therefore, we have developed a database named {open_quotes}GEOBASE{close_quotes} and a pre/post-processor named {open_quotes}GEOGRAPH{close_quotes} for TOUGH/TOUGH2 on engineering work station (EWS). {open_quotes}GEOGRAPH{close_quotes} is based on the ORACLE{sup *1} relational database manager system to access data sets of surface exploration (geology, geophysics, geochemistry, etc.), drilling (well trajectory, geological column, logging, etc.), well testing (production test, injection test, interference test, tracer test, etc.) and production/injection history.{open_quotes}GEOGRAPH{close_quotes} consists of {open_quotes}Pre-processor{close_quotes} that can construct the three-dimensional free shape reservoir modeling by mouse operation on X-window and {open_quotes}Post-processor{close_quotes} that can display several kinds of two/three-dimensional maps and X-Y plots to compile data on {open_quotes}GEOBASE{close_quotes} and result of TOUGH/TOUGH2 calculation. This paper shows concept of the systems and examples of utilization.

Microstructure, Composition, and Impact Toughness Across the Fusion Line of High-Strength Bainitic Steel Weldments

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Liangyun; Kong, Xiangwei; Chang, Zhiyuan; Qiu, Chunlin; Zhao, Dewen

2017-09-01

This paper analyzed the evolution of microstructure, composition, and impact toughness across the fusion line of high-strength bainitic steel weldments with different heat inputs. The main purpose was to develop a convenient method to evaluate the HAZ toughness quickly. The compositions of HAZ were insensitive to higher contents of alloy elements ( e.g., Ni, Mo) in the weld metal because their diffusion distance is very short into the HAZ. The weld metal contained predominantly acicular ferrite at any a heat input, whereas the main microstructures in the HAZ changed from lath martensite/bainite to upper bainite with the increasing heat input. The evolution of HAZ toughness in relation to microstructural changes can be revealed clearly combined with the impact load curve and fracture morphology, although the results of impact tests do not show an obvious change with heat input because the position of Charpy V notch contains the weld metal, HAZ as well as a part of base metal. As a result, based on the bead-on-plate welding tests, the welding parameter affecting the HAZ toughness can be evaluated rapidly.

Fracture toughness of neutron irradiated solid and powder HIP 316L(N). ITER Task 214, NET deliverable GB6 ECN-5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rensman, J.; Van den Broek, F.P.; Jong, M.; Van Osch, E.V.

1998-04-01

The fracture toughness properties of unirradiated and neutron irradiated type 316L(N) stainless steel plate (European Reference Heat ERHII), conventional 316L(N) solid HIP joints (heat PM-130), and 316L(N)-1G powder HIP material have been measured. Compact tension specimens with a thickness of 12 and 5 mm were irradiated in the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten, The Netherlands, simulating the fusion reactor's first wall conditions by a combination of high displacement damage with proportional amounts of helium. The solid HIP (or HIP-bonded) CT-specimens were irradiated in two separate experiments: SIWAS-6 with 1.3 to 2.3 dpa (1.7 dpa av.) at 353 K, and CHARIOT-3 with 2.7 to 3.1 dpa (2.9 dpa av.) at 600 K. The plate material and powder HIP CT-specimens were irradiated in one experiment only, SIWAS-6. The helium content is up to 20 appm for the 2.9 dpa (av.) dose level. Testing temperatures of 353K and 573K have been used for the fracture toughness experiments. The report contains the experimental conditions and summarises the results, which are given in terms of J-resistance curve fits. The main conclusions are that all three materials have very high toughness in the unirradiated state with little difference between them; the solid HIP has the highest toughness, the powder HIP lowest. The toughness of all three materials is reduced significantly by irradiation, the reduction is the least for the plate material and the highest for the powder HIP material. However, many, but not all, of the solid HIP CT specimens showed debonding of the joint during testing. The machined notch of the CT specimens was not exactly on the joint interface, which could lead to unjustified interpretation of the measured values as being the toughness of the joint, the toughness of the joint being probably much lower. The reduction by irradiation of the fracture toughness of the powder HIP material is clearly larger than for plate material, which is confirmed by the observed early initiation

Estimation of fracture toughness of cast stainless steels during thermal aging in LWR systems-revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, O.K.

1994-08-01

This report presents a revision of the procedure and correlations presented earlier in NUREG/CR-4513, ANL-90/42 (June 1991) for predicting the change in mechanical properties of cast stainless steel components due to thermal aging during service in light water reactors at 280-330 degrees C (535-625 degrees F). The correlations presented in this report are based on an expanded data base and have been optimized with mechanical-property data on cast stainless steels aged up to ∼58,000 h at 290-350 degrees C (554-633 degrees F). The fracture toughness J-R curve, tensile stress, and Charpy-impact energy of aged cast stainless steels are estimated from known material information. Mechanical properties of a specific cast stainless steel are estimated from the extent and kinetics of thermal embrittlement. Embrittlement of cast stainless steels is characterized in terms of room-temperature Charpy-impact energy. Charpy-impact energy as a function of time and temperature of reactor service is estimated from the kinetics of thermal embrittlement, which are also determined from the chemical composition. The initial impact energy of the unaged steel is required for these estimations. Initial tensile flow stress is needed for estimating the flow stress of the aged material. The fracture toughness J-R curve for the material is then obtained by correlating room-temperature Charpy-impact energy with fracture toughness parameters. The values of J IC are determined from the estimated J-R curve and flow stress. A common open-quotes predicted lower-boundclose quotes J-R curve for cast stainless steels of unknown chemical composition is also defined for a given grade of steel, range of ferrite content, and temperature. Examples of estimating mechanical properties of cast stainless steel components during reactor service are presented

Techniques developed to evaluate the fracture toughness offast breeder reactor duct

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, F.H.; Wire, G.L.

1979-01-01

Large changes in strength and ductility of metals after irradiation are known to occur. The fracture toughness of irradiated metals, which is related to the combined strength and ductility of a material, may be significantly reduced and the potential for unstable crack extension increased. Therefore, the resistance of cladding and duct materials to fracture after exposure to fast neutron environments is of concern. Existing Type 316 stainless steel irradiated ducts are relatively thin and since this material retains substantial ductility, even after irradiation, the fracture behavior of the duct material cannot be analyzed by linear elastic fracture mechanics techniques. Instead, the multispecimen R-curve method and J-integral analysis were used to develop an experimental approach to evaluate the fracture toughness of thin breeder reactor duct materials irradiated at elevated temperatures. Alloy A-286 was chosen for these experiments because the alloy exhibits elastic/plastic behavior and the fracture toughness data of thicker (12 mm) specimens were available for comparison. Technical problems associated with specimen buckling and remote handling were treated in this work. The results are discussed in terms of thickness criterion for plane strain

46 CFR 154.605 - Toughness test.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Toughness test. 154.605 Section 154.605 Shipping COAST....605 Toughness test. (a) Each toughness test under §§ 154.610 through 154.625 must meet Subpart 54.05 of this chapter. (b) If subsize test specimens are used for the Charpy V-notch toughness test, the...

Characterization of fracture toughness of epoxy resin after hygrothermal aging

KAUST Repository

Quispe, Gustavo Q.

2013-07-01

Characterization of fracture toughness of epoxy resin after hygrothermal ageing Gustavo Quino Quispe The aim of this work is to characterize the e ects of hygrothermal aging in the plain strain fracture toughness of the epoxy system composed by cycloaliphatic epoxy resin and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA). For this, after having been under hygrothermal aging in a climatic chamber, epoxy samples were studied using ASTM D5045 fracture toughness test, and micrography and roughness measurements of the fracture surface. It is reported a rapid decrease of GIc and KIc during the rst 2 days. Moreover, a numerical model [13] was used to simulate and see with more detail the water absorption in the aged samples. From that, it was observed the heterogeneous distribution of water. Accordingly, it was proposed that the results should be correlated with the water content at the vicinity of the crack tip. Consequently, it was possible to obtain, by quasi-static simulations, the ideal load-displacement curves of crack propagation in the heterogeneous samples. Finally, another contribution of this work is the study of the fracture surface, that gives a clue of the relationship among the fracture energy, the appearance of microcracks in the fracture surface, and the roughness (Ra).

Development of Fracture Toughness Evaluation Method for Composite Materials by Non-Destructive Testing Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y. T.; Kim, K. S.

1998-01-01

Fracture process of continuous fiber reinforced composites is very complex because various fracture mechanisms such as matrix cracking, debonding, delamination and fiber breaking occur simultaneously during crack growth. If fibers cause crack bridging during crack growth, the stable crack growth and unstable crack growth appear repeatedly. Therefore, it is very difficult to exactly determine tile starting point of crack growth and the fracture toughness at the critical crack length in composites. In this research, fracture toughness test for CFRP was accomplished by using acoustic emission(AE) and recording of tile fracture process in real time by video-microscope. The starting point of crack growth, pop-in point and the point of unstable crack growth can be exactly determined. Each fracture mechanism can be classified by analyzing the fracture process through AE and video-microscope. The more reliable method is the fracture toughness measurement of composite materials was proposed by using the combination of R-curve method, AE and video microscope

Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.

1992-01-01

Special fixtures and test methods have been developed for testing small disk compact specimens (12.5 mm diam by 4.6 mm thick). Both unloading compliance and potential drop methods have been used to monitor crack extension during the J-integral resistance (J-R) curve testing. Provisions have been made to allow the necessary probes and instrumentation to be installed remotely using manipulators for testing of irradiated specimens in a hat cell. Laboratory trials showed that both unloading compliance and potential drop gave useful results. Both techniques gave similar data, and predicted the final crack extension within allowable limits. The results from the small disk compact specimens were similar to results from conventional compact specimens 12.7-mm thick. However, the slopes of the J-R curves from the larger specimens were lower, suggesting that the smaller disk compact specimens may have lost some constraint due to their size. The testing shows that it should be possible to generate useful J-R curve fracture toughness data from the small disk compact specimens

Development of Mini-Compact Tension Test Method for Determining Fracture Toughness Master Curves for Reactor Pressure Vessel Steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokolov, Mikhail A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-05-01

Small specimens are playing the key role in evaluating properties of irradiated materials. The use of small specimens provides several advantages. Typically, only a small volume of material can be irradiated in a reactor at desirable conditions in terms of temperature, neutron flux, and neutron dose. A small volume of irradiated material may also allow for easier handling of specimens. Smaller specimens reduce the amount of radioactive material, minimizing personnel exposures and waste disposal. However, use of small specimens imposes a variety of challenges as well. These challenges are associated with proper accounting for size effects and transferability of small specimen data to the real structures of interest. Any fracture toughness specimen that can be made out of the broken halves of standard Charpy specimens may have exceptional utility for evaluation of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) since it would allow one to determine and monitor directly actual fracture toughness instead of requiring indirect predictions using correlations established with impact data. The Charpy V-notch specimen is the most commonly used specimen geometry in surveillance programs. Validation of the mini compact tension specimen (mini-CT) geometry has been performed on previously well characterized Midland beltline Linde 80 (WF-70) weld in the unirradiated condition. It was shown that the fracture toughness transition temperature, To, measured by these Mini-CT specimens is almost the same as To value that was derived from various larger fracture toughness specimens. Moreover, an International collaborative program has been established to extend the assessment and validation efforts to irradiated Linde 80 weld metal. The program is underway and involves the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Central Research Institute for Electrical Power Industry (CRIEPI), and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The irradiated Mini-CT specimens from broken halves of previously tested Charpy

User's Guide for TOUGH2-MP - A Massively Parallel Version of the TOUGH2 Code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Earth Sciences Division; Zhang, Keni; Zhang, Keni; Wu, Yu-Shu; Pruess, Karsten

2008-01-01

TOUGH2-MP is a massively parallel (MP) version of the TOUGH2 code, designed for computationally efficient parallel simulation of isothermal and nonisothermal flows of multicomponent, multiphase fluids in one, two, and three-dimensional porous and fractured media. In recent years, computational requirements have become increasingly intensive in large or highly nonlinear problems for applications in areas such as radioactive waste disposal, CO2 geological sequestration, environmental assessment and remediation, reservoir engineering, and groundwater hydrology. The primary objective of developing the parallel-simulation capability is to significantly improve the computational performance of the TOUGH2 family of codes. The particular goal for the parallel simulator is to achieve orders-of-magnitude improvement in computational time for models with ever-increasing complexity. TOUGH2-MP is designed to perform parallel simulation on multi-CPU computational platforms. An earlier version of TOUGH2-MP (V1.0) was based on the TOUGH2 Version 1.4 with EOS3, EOS9, and T2R3D modules, a software previously qualified for applications in the Yucca Mountain project, and was designed for execution on CRAY T3E and IBM SP supercomputers. The current version of TOUGH2-MP (V2.0) includes all fluid property modules of the standard version TOUGH2 V2.0. It provides computationally efficient capabilities using supercomputers, Linux clusters, or multi-core PCs, and also offers many user-friendly features. The parallel simulator inherits all process capabilities from V2.0 together with additional capabilities for handling fractured media from V1.4. This report provides a quick starting guide on how to set up and run the TOUGH2-MP program for users with a basic knowledge of running the (standard) version TOUGH2 code. The report also gives a brief technical description of the code, including a discussion of parallel methodology, code structure, as well as mathematical and numerical methods used

Investigation of the bases for use of the KIc curve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, D.E.; Nanstad, R.K.; Rosenfield, A.R.; Marschall, C.W.; Irwin, G.R.

1991-01-01

Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 50 (10CFR50), Appendix G, establishes the bases for setting allowable pressure and temperature limits on reactors during heatup and cooldown operation. Both the K Ic and K Ia curves are utilized in prescribed ways to maintain reactor vessel structural integrity in the presence of an assumed or actual flaw and operating stresses. Currently, the code uses the K Ia curve, normalized to the RT NDT , to represent the fracture toughness trend for unirradiated and irradiated pressure vessel steels. Although this is clearly a conservative policy, it has been suggested that the K Ic curve is the more appropriate for application to a non-accident operating condition. A number of uncertainties have been identified, however, that might convert normal operating transients into a dynamic loading situation. Those include the introduction of running cracks from local brittle zones, crack pop-ins, reduced toughness from arrested cleavage cracks, description of the K Ic curve for irradiated materials, and other related unresolved issues relative to elastic-plastic fracture mechanics. Some observations and conclusions can be made regarding various aspects of those uncertainties and they are discussed in this paper. A discussion of further work required and under way to address the remaining uncertainties is also presented

Mental toughness in soccer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Diment, Gregory Michael

2014-01-01

a systematic observation checklist of mental toughness behavior in professional soccer. Consistent with existing studies, the results created a systematic observation instrument containing 15 mental toughness behaviors. Practical implications include goal-setting, game analysis and self-modeling interventions...

On the R-curve behavior of human tooth enamel.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajaj, Devendra; Arola, Dwayne D

2009-08-01

In this study the crack growth resistance behavior and fracture toughness of human tooth enamel were quantified using incremental crack growth measures and conventional fracture mechanics. Results showed that enamel undergoes an increase in crack growth resistance (i.e. rising R-curve) with crack extension from the outer to the inner enamel, and that the rise in toughness is a function of distance from the dentin enamel junction (DEJ). The outer enamel exhibited the lowest apparent toughness (0.67+/-0.12 MPam(0.5)), and the inner enamel exhibited a rise in the growth toughness from 1.13 MPam(0.5)/mm to 3.93 MPam(0.5)/mm. The maximum crack growth resistance at fracture (i.e. fracture toughness (K(c))) ranged from 1.79 to 2.37 MPam(0.5). Crack growth in the inner enamel was accompanied by a host of mechanisms operating from the micro- to the nano-scale. Decussation in the inner enamel promoted crack deflection and twist, resulting in a reduction of the local stress intensity at the crack tip. In addition, extrinsic mechanisms such as bridging by unbroken ligaments of the tissue and the organic matrix promoted crack closure. Microcracking due to loosening of prisms was also identified as an active source of energy dissipation. In summary, the unique microstructure of enamel in the decussated region promotes crack growth toughness that is approximately three times that of dentin and over ten times that of bone.

TOUGH2 software qualification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruess, K.; Simmons, A.; Wu, Y.S.; Moridis, G.

1996-02-01

TOUGH2 is a numerical simulation code for multi-dimensional coupled fluid and heat flow of multiphase, multicomponent fluid mixtures in porous and fractured media. It belongs to the MULKOM ({open_quotes}MULti-KOMponent{close_quotes}) family of codes and is a more general version of the TOUGH simulator. The MULKOM family of codes was originally developed with a focus on geothermal reservoir simulation. They are suited to modeling systems which contain different fluid mixtures, with applications to flow problems arising in the context of high-level nuclear waste isolation, oil and gas recovery and storage, and groundwater resource protection. TOUGH2 is essentially a subset of MULKOM, consisting of a selection of the better tested and documented MULKOM program modules. The purpose of this package of reports is to provide all software baseline documents necessary for the software qualification of TOUGH2.

TOUGH2 software qualification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pruess, K.; Simmons, A.; Wu, Y.S.; Moridis, G.

1996-02-01

TOUGH2 is a numerical simulation code for multi-dimensional coupled fluid and heat flow of multiphase, multicomponent fluid mixtures in porous and fractured media. It belongs to the MULKOM (open-quotes MULti-KOMponentclose quotes) family of codes and is a more general version of the TOUGH simulator. The MULKOM family of codes was originally developed with a focus on geothermal reservoir simulation. They are suited to modeling systems which contain different fluid mixtures, with applications to flow problems arising in the context of high-level nuclear waste isolation, oil and gas recovery and storage, and groundwater resource protection. TOUGH2 is essentially a subset of MULKOM, consisting of a selection of the better tested and documented MULKOM program modules. The purpose of this package of reports is to provide all software baseline documents necessary for the software qualification of TOUGH2

Fracture toughness determination of the pressure vessel steel A508 Cl 2 between 100 and 350 degree C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, S.

1980-09-01

The fracture toughness of the pressure vessel steel A508 was determined in the temperature range 100 - 350 degree C. The J-integral method with crack growth resistance curves, the so-called R-curves, was used. The results show that the steel does not have an 'upper-shelf' and the fracture toughness, K sub (JC), decreases with increasing temperature to a minimum around 300 degree C and an increase above it. These results are compared to those obtained previously on an other pressure vessel steel A533B which has essentially the same temperature dependence. The results were also analysed using the Tearing modulus, T. The conclusion iw that the crack growth resistance and the crack initiation resistance (K sub (JC)) show a significant decrease around the operating temperatures as compared to 100 degree C. (author)

Evaluation of delayed hydride cracking and fracture toughness in zirconium alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Je Yong

2000-02-01

The tensile, fracture toughness, and delayed hydride cracking (DHC) test were carried at various temperatures to understand the effect of hydrides on zirconium alloys. And the effects of yield stress and texture on the DHC velocity were discussed. The tensile properties of alloy A were the highest, and the difference between directions in alloy C was small due to texture. The fracture toughness at room temperature decreased sharply when hydrided. Although the alignment of hydride plates was parallel to loading direction, the hydrides were fractured due to the triaxiality at the crack tip region. The fracture toughness over 200 .deg. C was similar regardless of the hydride existence, because the triaxiality region was lost due to the decrease of yield stress with temperature. As the yield stress decreased, the threshold stress intensity factor and the striation spacing increased in alloy A, and the fracture surfaces and striations were affected by microstructures in all alloys. To evaluate the effect of the yield stress on DHC velocity, a normalization method was proposed. When the DHC velocity was normalized with dividing by the terminal solid solubility and the diffusion coefficient of hydrogen, the relationship between the yield stress and the DHC velocity was representable on one master curve. The equation from the master curve was able to explain the difference between the theoretical activation energy and the experimental activation energy in DHC. The difference was found to be ascribed to the decrease of yield stress with temperature. texture affected the delayed hydride cracking velocity by yield stress and by hydride reprecipitation. The relationship between the yield stress and the DHC velocity was expressed as an exponential function, and the relationship between the reprecipitation of hydride and the DHC velocity was expressed as a linear function

Effect of microstructure on the fracture toughness of ferrite-martensite-bainite steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byun, Thak Sang; Kim, In Sup

1988-01-01

The effect of microstructure on the fracture toughness of ferrite-martensite -bainite steels was investigated with Fe-0.11C-1.64Mn-0.78Si composition. One inch compact tension specimens (1T-CTSs) were machined from hot rolled plates. The microstructure of ferrite-martensite-bainite was introduced to the specimens by the heat treatment of intercritical annealing at 800deg C and isothermal holding at 350deg C. Holding at 350deg C increased volume fraction of bainite, while decreased that of martensite, and refined martensite particles. Single specimen unloading compliance method was used in fracture test to obtain J-resistance (J-R) curve and to determine the fracture toughness(J IC ). Introduction of bainite to the ferrite-martensite steel improved the fracture toughness due to the deformation of bainite which relaxed the stress concentration on the interface of ferrite and martensite. Observation of fracto-graphs through the scanning electron microscope(SEM) identified the fracture mechanism of ferrite-martensite-bainite steels as dimple nucleation and crack growth by decohesion of ferrite matrix and second phase particles and by microvoid coales cence. (Author)

Fracture toughness of irradiated beryllium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beeston, J.M.

1978-01-01

The fracture toughness of nuclear grade hot-pressed beryllium upon irradiation to fluences of 3.5 to 5.0 x 10 21 n/cm 2 , E greater than 1 MeV, was determined. Procedures and data relating to a round-robin test contributing to a standard ASTM method for unirradiated beryllium are discussed in connection with the testing of irradiated specimens. A porous grade of beryllium was also irradiated and tested, thereby enabling some discrimination between the models for describing the fracture toughness behavior of porous beryllium. The fracture toughness of unirradiated 2 percent BeO nuclear grade beryllium was 12.0 MPa m/sup 1 / 2 /, which was reduced 60 percent upon irradiation at 339 K and testing at 295 K. The fracture toughness of a porous grade of beryllium was 13.1 MPa m/sup 1 / 2 /, which was reduced 68 percent upon irradiation and testing at the same conditions. Reasons for the reduction in fracture toughness upon irradiation are discussed

Toughness of 2,25Cr-1Mo steel and weld metal

Science.gov (United States)

Acarer, Mustafa; Arici, Gökhan; Acar, Filiz Kumdali; Keskinkilic, Selcuk; Kabakci, Fikret

2017-09-01

2,25Cr-1Mo steel is extensively used at elevated temperature structural applications in fossil fire power plants for steam pipes, nozzle chambers and petrochemical industry for hydrocracking unit due to its excellent creep resistance and good redundant to oxidation. Also they should have acceptable weldability and toughness. The steels are supplied in quenched and tempered condition and their welded components are subjected to post-weld heat treatment (PWHT). Tempering process is carried out at 690-710°C to improve toughness properties. However they are sensitive to reheat cracking and temper embrittlement. To measure temper embrittlement of the steels and their weld metal, temper embrittlement factor and formula (J factor - Watanabe and X formula- Bruscato) are used. Step cooling heat treatment is also applied to determine temper embrittlement. In this study, toughness properties of Cr Mo (W) steels were reviewed. Also transition temperature curves of 2,25Cr-1Mo steel and its weld metal were constructed before and after step cool heat treatment as experimental study. While 2,25Cr-1Mo steel as base metal was supplied, all weld metal samples were produced in Gedik Welding Company. Hardness measurements and microstructure evaluation were also carried out.

How Tough is Human Cortical Bone? In-Situ Measurements on Realistically Short Cracks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ritchie, Robert O; Koester, K. J.; Ager III, J. W.; Ritchie, R.O.

2008-05-10

Bone is more difficult to break than to split. Although this is well known, and many studies exist on the behavior of long cracks in bone, there is a need for data on the orientation-dependent crack-growth resistance behavior of human cortical bone which accurately assesses its toughness at appropriate size-scales. Here we use in-situ mechanical testing in the scanning electron microscope and x-ray computed tomography to examine how physiologically-pertinent short (<600 mu m) cracks propagate in both the transverse and longitudinal orientations in cortical bone, using both crack-deflection/twist mechanics and nonlinear-elastic fracture mechanics to determine crack-resistance curves. We find that after only 500 mu m of cracking, the driving force for crack propagation was more than five times higher in the transverse (breaking) direction than in the longitudinal (splitting) direction due to major crack deflections/twists principally at cement sheathes. Indeed, our results show that the true transverse toughness of cortical bone is far higher than previously reported. However, the toughness in the longitudinal orientation, where cracks tend to follow the cement lines, is quite low at these small crack sizes; it is only when cracks become several millimeters in length that bridging mechanisms can develop leading to the (larger-crack) toughnesses generally quoted for bone.

Evaluation of static and dynamic fracture toughness in ductile cast iron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Toshiro; Yamada, Shinya

1994-01-01

Ductile cast irons have been explored as a cask (container for spent nuclear fuel) material because of their low cost and good formability. The cask, which is a huge casting with 400-mm thickness and 100-Mg weight, envelops the nuclear material. Therefore, the fracture toughness of cask must be evaluated not only under the static loading condition but also under the dynamic loading condition to ensure its safety against an accident during the transport. In this article, crack extension behavior and fracture toughness of ductile cast iron were examined by three-point bend tests, where various detection methods of crack initiation under static and dynamic loading conditions were adopted. Loading on the specimens was interrupted at various displacement points, and the final fracture surfaces of the specimen were observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) obtained under the dynamic loading conditions was smaller than that under the static loading condition in ferritic ductile cast iron, and CTOD additionally decreased with increasing pearlite content in the matrix. The relationship between J(ΔC) obtained by the compliance changing rate method and J(R) established by the intersection of the crack extension resistance curve and the theoretical blunting line varied with pearlite content. The average value of J(ΔC) and J(R), that is J(mid), was proposed to define the fracture toughness of ductile cast iron; J(mid) was considered to be a reasonable measure for the fracture toughness of ductile cast iron, irrespective of loading condition and the pearlite content in the matrix

Mezzo-scopic Analysis of Fracture Toughness in Steels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miyata Takashi

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The cleavage fracture toughness of steels was mezzo-scopically analyzed on the basis of the statistical local fracture criterion approach. The statistical stress criterion at the crack tip region suggests that the cleavage fracture toughness in steels can be described as a function of the yield stress, the cleavage fracture stress, and other mechanical properties of the materials. Formulation of the cleavage fracture toughness was first examined through an investigation on correlation between the cleavage toughness and the cleavage fracture stress obtained in notched round bar specimens in accordance with the theoretical prediction. Then, the scatter of the toughness, specimen thickness effect on the toughness, deterioration of the toughness due to cold working and irradiation, and improvement of the toughness caused by the Ni addition, were analyzed through the formulation of the toughness.

Dynamic fracture mechanics with electromagnetic force and its application to fracture toughness and testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagawa, G.; Yoshimura, S.

1986-01-01

This study is concerned with the application of the electromagnetic force to the determination of the dynamic fracture toughness of materials. Taken is an edge-cracked specimen which carries a transient electric current I and is simply supported in a uniform and steady magnetic field B. As a result of their interaction, the dynamic electromagnetic force occurs in the whole body of the specimen, which is then deformed to fracture in the opening mode of cracking. For the evaluation of dynamic fracture toughness, the extended J integral with the effects of the electromagnetic force and inertia is calculated using the dynamic finite-element method. To determine the dynamic crack-initiation point in the experiment, the electric potential method is used in the case of brittle fracture, and the electric potential and the J-R curve methods in the case of ductile fracture, respectively. Using these techniques, the dynamic fracture toughness values of nuclear pressure vessel steel A508 class 3 are evaluated over a wide temperature range. (author)

The J-resistance curve Leak-before-Break test program on material for the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukherjee, B.

1988-01-01

The Darlington Leak-Before-Break (DLBB) approach has been developed for large diameter (21, 22, 24 inch) SA106B heat transport (HT) piping and SA105 fittings as a design alternative to pipewhip restraints and in recognition of the questionable benefits of providing such restraints. Ontario Hydro's DLBB approach is based on the elastic plastic fracture mechanics method. In this test program, J-resistance curves were determined from actual pipe heats that were used in the construction of the Darlington heat transport systems (Units 1 and 2). Test blocks were prepared using four different welding procedures for nuclear Class I piping. The test program was designed to take into account the effect of various factors such as test temperature, crack plane orientation, welding effects, etc., which have influence on fracture properties. A total of 91 tests were conducted. An acceptable lower bound J-resistance curve for the piping steels was obtained by machining maximum thickness specimens from the pipes and by testing side grooved compact tension specimens. Test results showed that all pipes, welds and heat-affected zone materials within the scope of the DLBB program exhibited uppershelf toughness behaviour. All specimens showed high crack initiation toughness Jsub(lc), rising J-resistance curve and stable and ductile crack extension. Toughness of product forms depended on the direction of crack extension (circumferential versus axial crack orientation). Toughness of DLBB welds and parent materials at 250 0 C was lower than that at 20 0 C. (author)

Sub-10-micrometer toughening and crack tip toughness of dental enamel

OpenAIRE

Ang, Siang Fung; Schulz, Anja; Pacher Fernandes, Rodrigo; Schneider, Gerold A.

2011-01-01

In previous studies, enamel showed indications to occlude small cracks in-vivo and exhibited R-curve behaviors for bigger cracks ex-vivo. This study quantifies the crack tip toughness (KI0, KIII0), the crack closure stress and the cohesive zone size at the crack tip of enamel and investigates the toughening mechanisms near the crack tip down to the length scale of a single enamel crystallite. The crack-opening-displacement (COD) profile of cracks induced by Vickers indents on mature bovine en...

The radiation swelling effect on fracture properties and fracture mechanisms of irradiated austenitic steels. Part I. Ductility and fracture toughness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Margolin, B., E-mail: mail@crism.ru; Sorokin, A.; Shvetsova, V.; Minkin, A.; Potapova, V.; Smirnov, V.

2016-11-15

The radiation swelling effect on the fracture properties of irradiated austenitic steels under static loading has been studied and analyzed from the mechanical and physical viewpoints. Experimental data on the stress-strain curves, fracture strain, fracture toughness and fracture mechanisms have been represented for austenitic steel of 18Cr-10Ni-Ti grade (Russian analog of AISI 321 steel) irradiated up to neutron dose of 150 dpa with various swelling. Some phenomena in mechanical behaviour of irradiated austenitic steels have been revealed and explained as follows: a sharp decrease of fracture toughness with swelling growth; untypical large increase of fracture toughness with decrease of the test temperature; some increase of fracture toughness after preliminary cyclic loading. Role of channel deformation and channel fracture has been clarified in the properties of irradiated austenitic steel and different tendencies to channel deformation have been shown and explained for the same austenitic steel irradiated at different temperatures and neutron doses.

The effect of irradiation and irradiation temperature on the fracture toughness of cold-worked Zr-2.5 wt percent Nb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, L.A.; Ellis, R.B.; Stark, D.J.; Shillinglaw, A.J.

1984-09-01

The use of fracture mechanics methods and small specimens to assess the effect of metallurgical variables on fracture toughness and critical crack length in reactor pressure tubes is reviewed. Fracture toughness tests on specimens irradiated in the NRU research reactor at 260 degrees C are described and compared with results from a previous irradiation in the WR-1 research reactor at 350 degrees C. The J-resistance curve is used as the measure of fracture toughness, and is shown to be very sensitive to the metallurgical state. The lower irradiation temperature (260 degrees C), characteristic of the operating temperature range for power reactors, has a significant effect on fracture toughness. Circumferential hydrides also have an effect. Estimates of critical crack length are made using the J-resistance data, and are seen to slightly underestimate the actual critical crack length as determined in full-scale burst tests. This conservatism is not large enough to impose a significant penalty in design applications

Mental toughness latent profiles in endurance athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeiger, Joanna S; Zeiger, Robert S

2018-01-01

Mental toughness in endurance athletes, while an important factor for success, has been scarcely studied. An online survey was used to examine eight mental toughness factors in endurance athletes. The study aim was to determine mental toughness profiles via latent profile analysis in endurance athletes and whether associations exist between the latent profiles and demographics and sports characteristics. Endurance athletes >18 years of age were recruited via social media outlets (n = 1245, 53% female). Mental toughness was measured using the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ), Psychological Performance Inventory-Alternative (PPI-A), and self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). A three-class solution emerged, designated as high mental toughness (High MT), moderate mental toughness (Moderate MT) and low mental toughness (Low MT). ANOVA tests showed significant differences between all three classes on all 8 factors derived from the SMTQ, PPI-A and the RSE. There was an increased odds of being in the High MT class compared to the Low MT class for males (OR = 1.99; 95% CI, 1.39, 2.83; Pathletes who were over 55 compared to those who were 18-34 (OR = 2.52; 95% CI, 1.37, 4.62; Pathletes. High MT is associated with demographics and sports characteristics. Mental toughness screening in athletes may help direct practitioners with mental skills training.

Use of forces from instrumented Charpy V-notch testing to determine crack-arrest toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iskander, S.K.; Nanstad, R.K.; Sokolov, M.A.; McCabe, D.E.; Hutton, J.T.

1996-06-01

The objective of this investigation is an estimation of the crack-arrest toughness, particularly of irradiated materials, from voltage versus time output of an instrumented setup during a test on a Charpy V-notch (CVN) specimen. This voltage versus time trace (which can be converted to force versus displacement) displays events during fracture of the specimen. Various stages of the fracture process can be identified on the trace, including an arrest point indicating arrest of brittle fracture. The force at arrest, F a , versus test temperature, T, relationship is examined to explore possible relationships to other experimental measures of crack-arrest toughness such as the drop-weight nil-ductility temperature (NDT), or crack-arrest toughness, K a . For a wide range of weld and plate materials, the temperature at which F a = 2.45 kN correlates with NDT with a standard deviation, sigma, of about 11 K. Excluding the so-called low upper-shelf energy (USE) welds from the analysis resulted in F a = 4.12 kN and σ = 6.6 K. The estimates of the correlation of the temperature for F a = 7.4 kN with the temperature at 100-MPa√m level for a mean American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) type K Ia curve through crack-arrest toughness values show that prediction of conservative values of K a are possible

Ductile fracture toughness of modified A 302 Grade B Plate materials, data analysis. Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCabe, D.E.; Manneschmidt, E.T.; Swain, R.L.

1997-01-01

The goal of this work was to develop ductile fracture toughness data in the form of J-R curves for modified A302 grade B plate materials typical of those used in reactor pressure vessels. A previous experimental study on one heat of A302 grade B plate showed decreasing J-R curves with increased specimen thickness. This characteristic has not been observed in tests made on recent production materials of A533 grade B and A508 class 2 pressure vessel steels. It was unknown if the departure from norm for the material was a generic characteristic for all heats of A302 grade B steels or unique to that particular plate. Seven heats of modified A302 grade B steel and one heat of vintage A533 grade B steel were tested for chemical content, tensile properties, Charpy transition temperature curves, drop-weight nil-ductility transition (NDT) temperature, and J-R curves. Tensile tests were made in the three principal orientations and at four temperatures, ranging from room temperature to 550F. Charpy V-notch transition temperature curves were obtained in longitudinal, transverse, and short transverse orientations. J-R curves were made using four specimen sizes (1/2T, 1T, 2T, and 4T). The fracture mechanics-based evaluation method covered three test orientations and three test temperatures (80, 400, and 550F). However, the coverage of these variables was contingent upon the amount of material provided. Drop-weight NDT temperature was determined for the T-L orientation only. None of the heats of modified A302 grade B showed size effects of any consequence on the J-R curve behavior. Crack orientation effects were present, but none were severe enough to be reported as atypical. A test temperature increase from 180 to 550F produced the usual loss in J-R curve fracture toughness. Generic J-R curves and curve fits were generated to represent each heat of material. This volume deals with the evaluation of data and the discussion of technical findings. 8 refs., 18 figs., 8 tabs.

Ductile fracture toughness of modified A 302 Grade B Plate materials, data analysis. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, D.E.; Manneschmidt, E.T.; Swain, R.L.

1997-01-01

The goal of this work was to develop ductile fracture toughness data in the form of J-R curves for modified A302 grade B plate materials typical of those used in reactor pressure vessels. A previous experimental study on one heat of A302 grade B plate showed decreasing J-R curves with increased specimen thickness. This characteristic has not been observed in tests made on recent production materials of A533 grade B and A508 class 2 pressure vessel steels. It was unknown if the departure from norm for the material was a generic characteristic for all heats of A302 grade B steels or unique to that particular plate. Seven heats of modified A302 grade B steel and one heat of vintage A533 grade B steel were tested for chemical content, tensile properties, Charpy transition temperature curves, drop-weight nil-ductility transition (NDT) temperature, and J-R curves. Tensile tests were made in the three principal orientations and at four temperatures, ranging from room temperature to 550F. Charpy V-notch transition temperature curves were obtained in longitudinal, transverse, and short transverse orientations. J-R curves were made using four specimen sizes (1/2T, 1T, 2T, and 4T). The fracture mechanics-based evaluation method covered three test orientations and three test temperatures (80, 400, and 550F). However, the coverage of these variables was contingent upon the amount of material provided. Drop-weight NDT temperature was determined for the T-L orientation only. None of the heats of modified A302 grade B showed size effects of any consequence on the J-R curve behavior. Crack orientation effects were present, but none were severe enough to be reported as atypical. A test temperature increase from 180 to 550F produced the usual loss in J-R curve fracture toughness. Generic J-R curves and curve fits were generated to represent each heat of material. This volume deals with the evaluation of data and the discussion of technical findings. 8 refs., 18 figs., 8 tabs

Mental toughness latent profiles in endurance athletes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna S Zeiger

Full Text Available Mental toughness in endurance athletes, while an important factor for success, has been scarcely studied. An online survey was used to examine eight mental toughness factors in endurance athletes. The study aim was to determine mental toughness profiles via latent profile analysis in endurance athletes and whether associations exist between the latent profiles and demographics and sports characteristics. Endurance athletes >18 years of age were recruited via social media outlets (n = 1245, 53% female. Mental toughness was measured using the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ, Psychological Performance Inventory-Alternative (PPI-A, and self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE. A three-class solution emerged, designated as high mental toughness (High MT, moderate mental toughness (Moderate MT and low mental toughness (Low MT. ANOVA tests showed significant differences between all three classes on all 8 factors derived from the SMTQ, PPI-A and the RSE. There was an increased odds of being in the High MT class compared to the Low MT class for males (OR = 1.99; 95% CI, 1.39, 2.83; P<0.001, athletes who were over 55 compared to those who were 18-34 (OR = 2.52; 95% CI, 1.37, 4.62; P<0.01, high sports satisfaction (OR = 8.17; 95% CI, 5.63, 11.87; P<0.001, and high division placement (OR = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.46,3.26; P<0.001. The data showed that mental toughness latent profiles exist in endurance athletes. High MT is associated with demographics and sports characteristics. Mental toughness screening in athletes may help direct practitioners with mental skills training.

Effects of Crack Measurement Methods on The Determination of Fracture Toughness of IG-110 Isotropic Graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chi, Se Hwan; Kim, Dae Jong; Jang, Chang Heui

2010-02-01

This report represents experimental data on the differences in the fracture toughness values due to different crack length measurement methods, i.e. direct current potential drop method (DCPD), traveling microscope method (TM), and dye penetration method (DP). SENB specimens made of IG-11 fine grained isotropic graphite (specimen size: 200(L) x 20(W) x 15(B) mm 3 ) were used. Results on crack length estimation showed that the TM and the DP methods resulted in similar crack length changing behaviors, and the crack length estimated by DCPD was the shortest. Comparisons of crack growth resistance curves (K R curves) showed that the DCPD showed the lowest and a decreasing K R curve with a crack extension. Both the curves from TM and DP showed increasing K R curves with a crack extension, but the curve from DP was unstable. The K R curve estimated from TM appeared to be the most stable one

Modifications and additions to selected TOUGH2 modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Y.S.; Mishra, A.K.

1998-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide all software baseline documents necessary for the software qualification of the revised versions of the selected TOUGH2 modules, which include single-phase gas (EOS1G), effective continuum method (EOS3/ECM), saturated/unsaturated flow (EOS9), and radionuclide transport (T2R3D) modules of the TOUGH2 code. TOUGH2 is a numerical simulation code for multi-dimensional, coupled fluid and heat flow of multiphase, multicomponent fluid mixtures in porous and fractured media. This report augments the document Software Qualification of Selected TOUGH2 modules. This report contains the following sections: (1) requirement specifications and code development and (2) software validation test plan and results. These sections comprise sequential parts of Software Lifecycle, and should be used in conjunction with the TOUGH User's Guide, TOUGH2 documentation, TOUGH2 Software Qualification, and Software Qualification of Selected TOUGH2 modules. The version of TOUGH2 used with the software being qualified herein is the October 1996 Standard Version 1.2, as qualified in Wu et al. (1996) and housed at the Department of Energy's Energy Science and Technology Software Center (ESTSC) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Irradiation effects on fracture toughness of two high-copper submerged-arc welds, HSSI series 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanstad, R.K.; Haggag, F.M.; McCabe, D.E.; Iskander, S.K.; Bowman, K.O.; Menke, B.H.

1992-10-01

The Fifth Irradiation Series in the Heavy-Section Steel irradiation (HSSI) Program was aimed at obtaining a statistically significant fracture toughness data base on two weldments with high-copper contents to determine the shift and shape of the K lc curve as a consequence of irradiation. The program included irradiated Charpy V-notch impact, tensile, and drop-weight specimens in addition to compact fracture toughness specimens. Compact specimens with thicknesses of 25.4, 50.8, and 101.6 mm [1T C(T), 2T C(T), and 4T C(T), respectively] were irradiated. Additionally, unirradiated 6T C(T) and 8T C(T) specimens with the same K lc measuring capacity as the irradiated specimens were tested. The materials for this irradiation series were two weldments fabricated from special heats of weld wire with copper added to the melt. One lot of Linde 0124 flux was used for all the welds. Copper levels for the two welds are 0.23 and 0.31 wt %, while the nickel contents for both welds are 0.60 wt %. Twelve capsules of specimens were irradiated in the pool-side facility of the Oak Ridge Research Reactor at a nominal temperature of 288 degree C and an average fluence of about 1.5 x 10 19 neutrons/cm 2 (> 1 MeV). This volume, Appendices E and F, contains the load-displacement curves and photographs of the fracture toughness specimens from the 72W weld (0.23 wt % Cu) and the 73 W weld (0.31 wt % Cu), respectively

Fracture toughness of fibrous composite materials

Science.gov (United States)

Poe, C. C., Jr.

1984-01-01

Laminates with various proportions of 0 deg, 45 deg, and 90 deg plies were fabricated from T300/5208 and T300/BP-907 graphite/epoxy prepreg tape material. The fracture toughness of each laminate orientation or lay-up was determined by testing center-cracked specimens, and it was also predicted with the general fracture-toughness parameter. The predictions were good except when crack-tip splitting was large, at which time the toughness and strengths tended to be underpredicted. By using predictions, a parametric study was also made of factors that influence fracture toughness. Fiber and matrix properties as well as lay-up were investigated. Without crack-tip splitting, fracture toughness increases in proportion to fiber strength and fiber volume fraction, increases linearly with E(22)/E(11), is largest when the modulus for non-0 deg fibers is greater than that of 0 deg fibers, and is smallest for 0(m)/90(p)(s) lay-ups. (The E(11) and E(22) are Young's moduli of the lamina parallel to and normal to the direction of the fibers, respectively). For a given proportion of 0 deg plies, the most notch-sensitive lay-ups are 0(m)/90(p)(s) and the least sensitive are 0(m)/45(n)(s) and alpha(s). Notch sensitivity increases with the proportion of 0 deg plies and decreases with alpha. Strong, tough matrix materials, which inhibit crack-tip splitting, generally lead to minimum fracture toughness.

TOUGH User's Guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pruess, K.

1987-08-01

This document contains a technical description of the TOUGH computer program, which was developed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory for simulating the coupled transport of water, vapor, air and heat in porous and fractured media. The physical processes taken into account in TOUGH are discussed, and the governing equations actually solved by the simulator are stated in full detail. A brief overview is given of the mathematical and numerical methods, and the code architecture. The report provides detailed instructions for preparing input decks. Code applications are illustrated by means of six sample problems

Extending World Health Organization weight-for-age reference curves to older children.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodd, Celia; Metzger, Daniel L; Sharma, Atul

2014-02-03

For ages 5-19 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes reference charts based on 'core data' from the US National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), collected from 1963-75 on 22,917 US children. To promote the use of body mass index in older children, weight-for-age was omitted after age 10. Health providers have subsequently expressed concerns about this omission and the selection of centiles. We therefore sought to extend weight-for-age reference curves from 10 to 19 years by applying WHO exclusion criteria and curve fitting methods to the core NCHS data and to revise the choice of displayed centiles. WHO analysts first excluded ~ 3% of their reference population in order to achieve a "non-obese sample with equal height". Based on these exclusion criteria, 314 girls and 304 boys were first omitted for 'unhealthy' weights-for-height. By applying WHO global deviance and information criteria, optimal Box-Cox power exponential models were used to fit smoothed weight-for-age centiles. Bootstrap resampling was used to assess the precision of centile estimates. For all charts, additional centiles were included in the healthy range (3 to 97%), and the more extreme WHO centiles 0.1 and 99.9% were dropped. In addition to weight-for-age beyond 10 years, our charts provide more granularity in the centiles in the healthy range -2 to +2 SD (3-97%). For both weight and BMI, the bootstrap confidence intervals for the 99.9th centile were at least an order of magnitude wider than the corresponding 50th centile values. These charts complement existing WHO charts by allowing weight-for-age to be plotted concurrently with height in older children. All modifications followed strict WHO methodology and utilized the same core data from the US NCHS. The additional centiles permit a more precise assessment of normal growth and earlier detection of aberrant growth as it crosses centiles. Elimination of extreme centiles reduces the risk of misclassification. A complete set of

iTOUGH2 Universal Optimization Using the PEST Protocol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finsterle, S.A.

2010-01-01

iTOUGH2 (http://www-esd.lbl.gov/iTOUGH2) is a computer program for parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty propagation analysis [Finsterle, 2007a, b, c]. iTOUGH2 contains a number of local and global minimization algorithms for automatic calibration of a model against measured data, or for the solution of other, more general optimization problems (see, for example, Finsterle [2005]). A detailed residual and estimation uncertainty analysis is conducted to assess the inversion results. Moreover, iTOUGH2 can be used to perform a formal sensitivity analysis, or to conduct Monte Carlo simulations for the examination for prediction uncertainties. iTOUGH2's capabilities are continually enhanced. As the name implies, iTOUGH2 is developed for use in conjunction with the TOUGH2 forward simulator for nonisothermal multiphase flow in porous and fractured media [Pruess, 1991]. However, iTOUGH2 provides FORTRAN interfaces for the estimation of user-specified parameters (see subroutine USERPAR) based on user-specified observations (see subroutine USEROBS). These user interfaces can be invoked to add new parameter or observation types to the standard set provided in iTOUGH2. They can also be linked to non-TOUGH2 models, i.e., iTOUGH2 can be used as a universal optimization code, similar to other model-independent, nonlinear parameter estimation packages such as PEST [Doherty, 2008] or UCODE [Poeter and Hill, 1998]. However, to make iTOUGH2's optimization capabilities available for use with an external code, the user is required to write some FORTRAN code that provides the link between the iTOUGH2 parameter vector and the input parameters of the external code, and between the output variables of the external code and the iTOUGH2 observation vector. While allowing for maximum flexibility, the coding requirement of this approach limits its applicability to those users with FORTRAN coding knowledge. To make iTOUGH2 capabilities accessible to many application models

Effects of irradiation on crack-arrest toughness of two high-copper welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iskander, S.K.; Corwin, W.R.; Nanstad, R.K.

1990-01-01

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of neutron irradiation on the shift and shape of the lower-bound curve to crack-arrest data. Two submerged-arc welds with copper contents of 0.23 and 0.31 wt % were commercially fabricated in 220-mm-thick plate. Crack-arrest specimens fabricated from these welds were irradiated at a nominal temperature of 288 degree C to an average fluence of 1.9 x 10 19 neutrons/cm 2 (>1 MeV). A preliminary evaluation of the results shows that the neutron-irradiation induced crack-arrest toughness temperature shift is about the same as the Charpy V-notch impact temperature shift at the 41-J energy level. The shape of the lower-bound curves, (for the range of test temperatures covered), compared to those of the ASME K Ia -curve did not seem to have been altered by irradiation. 10 refs., 9 figs., 7 tabs

Is It Time to Change Our Reference Curve for Femur Length? Using the Z-Score to Select the Best Chart in a Chinese Population

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Huixia; Wei, Yumei; Su, Rina; Wang, Chen; Meng, Wenying; Wang, Yongqing; Shang, Lixin; Cai, Zhenyu; Ji, Liping; Wang, Yunfeng; Sun, Ying; Liu, Jiaxiu; Wei, Li; Sun, Yufeng; Zhang, Xueying; Luo, Tianxia; Chen, Haixia; Yu, Lijun

2016-01-01

Objective To use Z-scores to compare different charts of femur length (FL) applied to our population with the aim of identifying the most appropriate chart. Methods A retrospective study was conducted in Beijing. Fifteen hospitals in Beijing were chosen as clusters using a systemic cluster sampling method, in which 15,194 pregnant women delivered from June 20th to November 30th, 2013. The measurements of FL in the second and third trimester were recorded, as well as the last measurement obtained before delivery. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we identified FL measurements from 19996 ultrasounds from 7194 patients between 11 and 42 weeks gestation. The FL data were then transformed into Z-scores that were calculated using three series of reference equations obtained from three reports: Leung TN, Pang MW et al (2008); Chitty LS, Altman DG et al (1994); and Papageorghiou AT et al (2014). Each Z-score distribution was presented as the mean and standard deviation (SD). Skewness and kurtosis and were compared with the standard normal distribution using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The histogram of their distributions was superimposed on the non-skewed standard normal curve (mean = 0, SD = 1) to provide a direct visual impression. Finally, the sensitivity and specificity of each reference chart for identifying fetuses 95th percentile (based on the observed distribution of Z-scores) were calculated. The Youden index was also listed. A scatter diagram with the 5th, 50th, and 95th percentile curves calculated from and superimposed on each reference chart was presented to provide a visual impression. Results The three Z-score distribution curves appeared to be normal, but none of them matched the expected standard normal distribution. In our study, the Papageorghiou reference curve provided the best results, with a sensitivity of 100% for identifying fetuses with measurements 95th percentile, and specificities of 99.9% and 81.5%, respectively. Conclusions It

Transition Fracture Toughness Characterization of Eurofer 97 Steel using Pre-Cracked Miniature Multi-notch Bend Bar Specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xiang [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Sokolov, Mikhail A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Linton, Kory D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Clowers, Logan N. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Katoh, Yutai [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-11-01

In this report, we present the feasibility study of using pre-cracked miniature multi-notch bend bar specimens (M4CVN) with a dimension of 45mm (length) x 3.3mm (width) x 1.65mm (thickness) to characterize the transition fracture toughness of Eurofer97 based on the ASTM E1921 Master Curve method. From literature survey results, we did not find any obvious specimen size effects on the measured fracture toughness of unirradiated Eurofer97. Nonetheless, in order to exclude the specimen size effect on the measured fracture toughness of neutron irradiated Eurofer97, comparison of results obtained from larger size specimens with those from smaller size specimens after neutron irradiation is necessary, which is not practical and can be formidably expensive. However, limited literature results indicate that the transition fracture toughness of Eurofer97 obtained from different specimen sizes and geometries followed the similar irradiation embrittlement trend. We then described the newly designed experimental setup to be used for testing neutron irradiated Eurofer97 pre-cracked M4CVN bend bars in the hot cell. We recently used the same setup for testing neutron irradiated F82H pre-cracked miniature multi-notch bend bars with great success. Considering the similarity in materials, specimen types, and the nature of tests between Eurofer97 and F82H, we believe the newly designed experimental setup can be used successfully in fracture toughness testing of Eurofer97 pre-cracked M4CVN specimens.

Fracture toughness in metal matrix composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perez Ipiña J.E.

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Evaluations of the fracture toughness in metal matrix composites (Duralcan reinforced with 15% of Al(20(3 and SiC are presented in this work. The application of Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics is discussed and the obtained values are compared with the ones obtained by means of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics. Results show that J IC derived K JC values are higher than the corresponding values obtained by direct application of the linear elastic methodology. The effect of a heat treatment on the material fracture toughness was also evaluated in which the analyzed approaches showed, not only different toughness values, but also opposite tendencies. A second comparison of the J IC and K JC values obtained in this work with toughness values reported in the literature is presented and discussed.

Mechanism based evaluation of materials behavior and reference curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toerroenen, K.; Saario, T.; Wallin, K.; Forsten, J.

1984-01-01

The safety assessment of nuclear pressure vessels and piping requires a quantitative estimation of defect growth by stable and unstable manner during service. This estimation is essential for determining whether the defect detected during inspection should be repaired or whether the size of the defect even after its expected growth is small enough to leave the integrity of the vessel unaffected. The most important stable defect growth mechanism is that of environmentally assisted cyclic crack growth. Recent results indicate that it is markedly affected by sulfur content and/or manganese sulfide morphology and distribution. This implies that an essential improvement in component safety has been gained by currently applied steelmaking practices, which result in extra low sulfur content, generally below 0.01 wt%, and in round shape and small size of inclusions, through, e.g., calcium treatment, hence considerably reducing the effect of environment on crack growth rate. This further implies that the ASME Section XI reference curves for environmentally accelerated cyclic crack growth are conservative for steels produced by current steelmaking practices. (orig./WL)

Influence of side-groove root radius on the ductile fracture toughness of miniature C(T) specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucon, E.; Scibetta, M.

2009-05-15

The use of miniature C(T) specimens, MC(T), for fracture toughness measurements in the upper shelf regime has been investigated at SCK-CEN since 2004, in the framework of the Electrabel/Tractebel SCK-CEN Convention (now General Framework Agreement SUEZ-SCK-CEN). This geometry has been used and validated on both unirradiated (2004-05) and irradiated (2006) materials, mainly reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. While side-grooved MC(T) specimens have shown in all conditions a systematically lower tearing resistance and ductile crack initiation toughness as compared to standard-size 1TC(T) samples, the only plain-sided MC(T) specimen tested in 2005 exhibited very high ductile fracture toughness, thus pointing at a strong influence of side-grooving on the upper shelf properties of MC(T) specimens. This study investigates the influence of side-grooving on the initiation toughness and tearing resistance of MC(T) specimens, as a function of the root radius of the side-groove (ranging from 0.1 to 1 mm) and in comparison with plain-sided MC(T) and reference 1TC(T) samples. The material used is the well characterized DIN 22NiMoCr37 RPV steel, which had been used in the European project which generated the famous EURO fracture toughness data set.

Fracture toughness of steel--aluminum deformation welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albright, C.E.

1978-11-01

A study of the fracture toughness (in this case, G/sub Ic/) of steel--aluminum deformation welds using a specially developed double cantilever beam fracture toughness specimen is presented. Welds made at 350 0 C were heat treated at 360, 380, 400, 420, and 440 0 C. An intermetallic reaction product layer of Fe 2 Al 5 is formed at the steel--aluminum interface with increasing heat treating temperature and time by a process of nucleation and growth of discrete particles. A transition in toughness from a higher average G/sub Ic/ value (6097 N/m) to a very low average G/sub Ic/ value (525 N/m) is observed. The decrease in toughness is accompanied by an increase in Fe 2 Al 5 particle diameter from 4 to 8 μm. Failure at the higher toughness values is characterized by ductile rupture through the aluminum. At the lower toughness values, failure occurs between the aluminum and the Fe 2 Al 5 reaction product layer. A void layer forming by a vacancy condensation mechanism in the aluminum adjacent to the Fe 2 Al 5 is shown to cause the embrittlement

Probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis of reactor vessels with low upper-shelf fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, K.K.

1993-01-01

A class of submerged-arc welds used in fabricating early reactor vessels has relatively high copper contents. Studies have shown that when such vessels are irradiated, the copper contributes to lowering the Charpy upper-shelf energy level. To address this concern, 10CFR50, Appendix G requires a fracture mechanics analysis to demonstrate an adequate margin of safety for continued service. The B and W Owners Group (B and WOG) has been accumulating J-resistance fracture toughness data for these weld metals. Based on a mathematical model derived from this B and WOG data base, the first Appendix G analysis was performed. Another important issue affecting reactor vessel integrity is pressurized thermal shock (PIS) transients. In the early 1980s, probabilistic fracture mechanics analyses were performed on a reactor vessel to determine the probability of failure under postulated accident scenarios. Results of such analyses were used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to establish the screening criteria for assessing reactor vessel integrity under PTS transient loads. This paper addresses the effect of low upper-shelf toughness on the probability of failure of reactor vessels under PTS loads. Probabilistic fracture mechanics codes were modified to include the low upper-shelf toughness model used in a reference and a series of analyses was performed using plant-specific material conditions and realistic PTS scenarios. The results indicate that low upper-shelf toughness has an insignificant effect on the probability of reactor vessel failures. This is mostly due to PTS transients being susceptible to crack initiation at low temperatures and not affected by upper-shelf fracture toughness

Two R curves for partially stabilized zirconia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rose, L.R.F.; Swain, M.V.

1986-01-01

The enhanced fracture toughness due to stress-induced transformation can be explained from two view points: (1) the increase can be attributed to the need to supply a work of transformation, or (2) the transformation can be considered to result in internal stresses which oppose crack opening. Experimental results for magnesia-partially-stabilized zirconia are presented for the two experimental measures of toughness corresponding to these two viewpoints, namely (1) the specific work of fracture, R, and (2) the nominal stress intensity factor, K/sup R/. It is observed that these two measures are not equivalent during the initial stage of R-curve behavior, prior to reaching steady-state cracking. The theoretical reason for this difference is discussed. In particular, it is noted that the usual definition for the crack extension force does not correspond to the experimentally measured work of fracture in the presence of stress-induced (or pre-existing) sources of internal stress

Plastic flow properties and fracture toughness characterization of unirradiated and irradiated tempered martensitic steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spaetig, P.; Bonade, R.; Odette, G.R.; Rensman, J.W.; Campitelli, E.N.; Mueller, P.

2007-01-01

We investigate the plastic flow properties at low and high temperature of the tempered martensitic steel Eurofer97. We show that below room temperature, where the Peierls friction on the screw dislocation is active, it is necessary to modify the usual Taylor's equation between the flow stress and the square root of the dislocation density and to include explicitly the Peierls friction stress in the equation. Then, we compare the fracture properties of the Eurofer97 with those of the F82H steel. A clear difference of the fracture toughness-temperature behavior was found in the low transition region. The results indicate a sharper transition for Eurofer97 than for the F82H. Finally, the shift of the median toughness-temperature curve of the F82H steel was determined after two neutron irradiations performed in the High Flux Reactor in Petten

Interpretation of toughness tests performed on A533, grade B steel in the transition regime. Modelling and numerical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eripret, C.

1994-01-01

Modelling the fracture behaviour of pressure vessel steels is of major importance for related structural integrity assessments. It is essential to understand how the micromechanisms control the transition between ductile and brittle fracture for predicting geometry effects on transition temperature. To meet this goal, a model has been developed at EDF/R and DD in the framework of local approach to fracture. Its experimental validation has been achieved by analysing toughness tests performed by AEA Technology for a pressure vessel steel in the transition regime. This large data base has evidenced the specimen thickness effects on toughness properties of the material, as well as influence of prior ductile crack growth. Predictions of the model have been compared with experiments, which shows that the transition curve K 1C = f (T) can be drawn from model predictions and compared with the RCCM or ASME design curve. Substantial safety margins have been exhibited. They are greater for thin specimens (10 mm) than for thicker specimens (230 mm). However, the transition curve in the upper transition region is still underestimated by the model (for temperatures higher than RTNDT + 50 deg C). Improvement should be made to account for important plasticity development and significant crack growth. (author). 30 figs., 10 tabs., 12 refs

Fracture toughness and fracture behavior of CLAM steel in the temperature range of 450 °C-550 °C

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yanyun; Liang, Mengtian; Zhang, Zhenyu; Jiang, Man; Liu, Shaojun

2018-04-01

In order to analyze the fracture toughness and fracture behavior (J-R curves) of China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel under the design service temperature of Test Blanket Module of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, the quasi-static fracture experiment of CLAM steel was carried out under the temperature range of 450 °C-550 °C. The results indicated that the fracture behavior of CLAM steel was greatly influenced by test temperature. The fracture toughness increased slightly as the temperature increased from 450 °C to 500 °C. In the meanwhile, the fracture toughness at 550 °C could not be obtained due to the plastic deformation near the crack tip zone. The microstructure analysis based on the fracture topography and the interaction between dislocations and lath boundaries showed two different sub-crack propagation modes: growth along 45° of the main crack direction at 450 °C and growth perpendicular to the main crack at 500 °C.

The limit of strength and toughness of steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Zhen [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2001-12-01

The ideal structural steel combines high strength with high fracture toughness. This dissertation discusses the governing principles of strength and toughness, along with the approaches that can be used to improve these properties and the inherent limits to how strong and tough a steel can be.

Rapid Thermal Processing to Enhance Steel Toughness.

Science.gov (United States)

Judge, V K; Speer, J G; Clarke, K D; Findley, K O; Clarke, A J

2018-01-11

Quenching and Tempering (Q&T) has been utilized for decades to alter steel mechanical properties, particularly strength and toughness. While tempering typically increases toughness, a well-established phenomenon called tempered martensite embrittlement (TME) is known to occur during conventional Q&T. Here we show that short-time, rapid tempering can overcome TME to produce unprecedented property combinations that cannot be attained by conventional Q&T. Toughness is enhanced over 43% at a strength level of 1.7 GPa and strength is improved over 0.5 GPa at an impact toughness of 30 J. We also show that hardness and the tempering parameter (TP), developed by Holloman and Jaffe in 1945 and ubiquitous within the field, is insufficient for characterizing measured strengths, toughnesses, and microstructural conditions after rapid processing. Rapid tempering by energy-saving manufacturing processes like induction heating creates the opportunity for new Q&T steels for energy, defense, and transportation applications.

Ion implantation and fracture toughness of ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, J.; Pollock, J.T.A.

1985-01-01

Ceramics generally lack toughness which is largely determined by the ceramic surface where stresses likely to cause failure are usually highest. Ion implantation has the capacity to improve the surface fracture toughness of ceramics. Significantly reduced ion size and reactivity restrictions exist compared with traditional methods of surface toughening. We are studying the effect of ion implantation on ceramic fracture toughness using indentation testing as the principal tool of analysis

Fracture toughness requirements of reactor vessel material in evaluation of the safety analysis report of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widia Lastana Istanto

2011-01-01

Fracture toughness requirements of reactor vessel material that must be met by applicants for nuclear power plants construction permit has been investigated in this paper. The fracture toughness should be described in the Safety Analysis Reports (SARs) document that will be evaluated by the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN). Because BAPETEN does not have a regulations or standards/codes regarding the material used for the reactor vessel, especially in the fracture toughness requirements, then the acceptance criteria that applied to evaluate the fracture toughness of reactor vessel material refers to the regulations/provisions from the countries that have been experienced in the operation of nuclear power plants, such as from the United States, Japan and Korea. Regulations and standards used are 10 CFR Part 50, ASME and ASTM. Fracture toughness of reactor vessel materials are evaluated to ensure compliance of the requirements and provisions of the Regulatory Body and the applicable standards, such as ASME or ASTM, in order to assure a reliability and integrity of the reactor vessels as well as providing an adequate safety margin during the operation, testing, maintenance, and postulated accident conditions over the reactor vessel lifetime. (author)

Toughness behaviour of tungsten-carbide-cobalt alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigl, L.S.

1985-05-01

In the present work the mechanisms of crack propagation in technically important WC-Co alloys are investigated and a model describing the influence of microstructural parameters and of the mechanical properties of the constituents is developed. An energy concept is used for modelling fracture toughness. The energies dissipated in the four crack-paths (trans- and intergranular carbide fracture, fracture across the binder-ligaments, fracture in the binder close to the carbide/binder interface) are summed up using the experimentally determined area-fractions of the crack-paths, the specific energy of brittle fracture in the carbide and of ductile fracture is calculated by integrating the energy to deform a volume element over the plastically deformed region. In contrast to all earlier models, this concept describes fracture toughness of WC-Co alloys only with physically meaningful parameters. The excellent agreement with experimental toughness values and with qualitative observations of crack propagation show that the new model includes all effects which influence toughness. As demonstrated with WC-based hardmetals with a cobalt-nickel binder, the results open new possibilities for optimizing the toughness of composites in which a small amount of a tough phase is embedded in a brittle matrix. (Author, shortened by G.Q.)

Evaluation of elastic-plastic fracture of toughness and fracture resistance of carbon steel STS42

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Hideo; Nakamura, Haruo; Kashiwagi, Kohmei

1987-01-01

The elastic-plastic fracture toughness (J Ic ) and fracture resistance (J-R curve) of a carbon steel, STS42, used for piping in a nuclear reactor were evaluated according to the several evaluating methods recommended or proposed so far, to discuss their applicability and utility. The results obtained are as follows: (1) In evaluating J Ic , the multiple specimen method recommended by the Japan Society for Mechanical Engineers (JSME standard S001) gives the most reliable results by using smaller sized specimens. (2) The single-specimen methods by using the compliance technique, adopted in the ASTM standards (E813, E813 modified, Tentative test procedure for determining the plain strain J-R curve), do not give an accurate J-R curve or J Ic , due to an error in the calculated crack length. (3) In evaluating the J-R curve, it is necessary to account for crack extension in calculating the J-integral. (4) According to the above results, a new standard method for determining the J-R curve including the J Ic test method should be poprosed. (author)

Proceedings of the TOUGH Symposium 2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moridis, George J.; Doughty, Christine; Finsterle, Stefan; Sonnenthal, Eric

2009-10-01

Welcome to the TOUGH Symposium 2009. Within this volume are the Symposium Program for eighty-nine papers to be presented in both oral and poster formats. The full papers are available as pdfs linked from the Symposium Program posted on the TOUGH Symposium 2009 website http://esd.lbl.gov/newsandevents/events/toughsymposium09/program.html Additional updated information including any changes to the Program will also be available at the website. The papers cover a wide range of application areas and reflect the continuing trend toward increased sophistication of the TOUGH codes. A CD containing the proceedings papers will be published immediately following the Symposium and sent to all participants. As in the prior Symposium, selected papers will be invited for submission to a number of journals for inclusion in Special Issues focused on applications and developments of the TOUGH codes. These journals include, Transport in Porous Media, Geothermics, Energy Conversion and Management, Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, and the Vadose Zone Journal.

Fracture toughness measurements with subsize disk compact specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.

1994-01-01

Special fixtures and test methods have been developed for testing small disk compact specimens (1.25 mm diam by 4.6 mm thick). Specimens of European type 316L austenitic stainless steel were irradiated to damage levels of about 3 dpa at nominal irradiation temperatures of either 90 or 250 C and tested over a temperature range from 20 to 250 C. Results show that irradiation to this dose level at these temperatures reduces the fracture toughness but the toughness remains quite high. The toughness decreases as the test temperature increases. Irradiation at 250 C is more damaging than at 90 C, causing larger decreases in the fracture toughness. The testing shows that it is possible to generate useful fracture toughness data with a small disk compact specimens

Sub-10-micrometer toughening and crack tip toughness of dental enamel.

Science.gov (United States)

Ang, Siang Fung; Schulz, Anja; Pacher Fernandes, Rodrigo; Schneider, Gerold A

2011-04-01

In previous studies, enamel showed indications to occlude small cracks in-vivo and exhibited R-curve behaviors for bigger cracks ex-vivo. This study quantifies the crack tip's toughness (K(I0),K(III0)), the crack's closure stress and the cohesive zone size at the crack tip of enamel and investigates the toughening mechanisms near the crack tip down to the length scale of a single enamel crystallite. The crack-opening-displacement (COD) profile of cracks induced by Vickers indents on mature bovine enamel was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The mode I crack tip toughness K(I0) of cracks along enamel rod boundaries and across enamel rods exhibit a similar range of values: K(I0,Ir)=0.5-1.6MPa m(0.5) (based on Irwin's 'near-field' solution) and K(I0,cz)=0.8-1.5MPa m(0.5) (based on the cohesive zone solution of the Dugdale-Muskhelishvili (DM) crack model). The mode III crack tip toughness K(III0,Ir) was computed as 0.02-0.15MPa m(0.5). The crack-closure stress at the crack tip was computed as 163-770 MPa with a cohesive zone length and width 1.6-10.1μm and 24-44 nm utilizing the cohesive zone solution. Toughening elements were observed under AFM and SEM: crack bridging due to protein ligament and hydroxyapatite fibres (micro- and nanometer scale) as well as microcracks were identified. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 54.05-16 - Production toughness testing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Production toughness testing. 54.05-16 Section 54.05-16... Toughness Tests § 54.05-16 Production toughness testing. (a) For vessels of welded construction, production... welding procedures shall be the same as used in the fabrication of the vessel. From each test plate, one...

Mindfulness and mental toughness among provincial adolescent ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Kathryn van Boom

psychological basis of mental toughness from within existing, evidence-based ... development of mental toughness among athletes. The existing studies have ... that advocated by cognitive-behavioural interventions and traditional mental skills ...

Mental Toughness Moderates Social Loafing in Cycle Time-Trial Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugen, Tommy; Reinboth, Michael; Hetlelid, Ken J; Peters, Derek M; Høigaard, Rune

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if mental toughness moderated the occurrence of social loafing in cycle time-trial performance. Twenty-seven men (Mage = 17.7 years, SD = 0.6) completed the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire prior to completing a 1-min cycling trial under 2 conditions: once with individual performance identified, and once in a group with individual performance not identified. Using a median split of the mental toughness index, participants were divided into high and low mental toughness groups. Cycling distance was compared using a 2 (trial) × 2 (high-low mental toughness) analysis of variance. We hypothesized that mentally tough participants would perform equally well under both conditions (i.e., no indication of social loafing) compared with low mentally tough participants, who would perform less well when their individual performance was not identifiable (i.e., demonstrating the anticipated social loafing effect). The high mental toughness group demonstrated consistent performance across both conditions, while the low mental toughness group reduced their effort in the non-individually identifiable team condition. The results confirm that (a) clearly identifying individual effort/performance is an important situational variable that may impact team performance and (b) higher perceived mental toughness has the ability to negate the tendency to loaf.

Fracture toughness of Al-Cr alloys with minor additions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datta, S.; Banerjee, M.K.

2000-01-01

Fracture toughness behavior of aluminium chromium alloys with minor additions is studied to determine its relation with microstructure and ageing conditions. The effect of the minor additions on the fracture toughness property of the alloys is also studied. Fracture toughness of Al-Cr alloys has been improved by selected minor additions. Also, the fracture toughness of the investigated alloys is found to be sensitive to ageing conditions. (author)

Assessment of fracture toughness of structural steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomes Junyor, José Onésimo; Faria, Stéfanno Bruno; Rocha, Nirlando Antônio; Reis, Emil; Vilela, Jefferson José, E-mail: ze_onezo@hotmail.com, E-mail: sbrunofaria@gmail.com, E-mail: nar@cdtn.br, E-mail: emilr@cdtn.br, E-mail: jjv@cdtn.br [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Centro Universitário de Belo Horizonte (UNIBH), MG (Brazil); Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2017-11-01

The fracture toughness parameters are applied to estimate the lifetime of mechanical components and define the criteria of safe failure and tolerable damages. This information allows equipment to be used longer with a high degree of safety. These techniques are applied in the Leak-Before-Break (LBB) concept that is accepted for designing the piping system of the primary circuit of the pressurized water reactor (PWR). In this work, fracture toughness tests such as J{sub IC} and CTOD were performed on some structural steels. The fracture toughness parameters were determined using SE(B) and C(T) test specimens. The fracture toughness values for the same material varied according to the type specimen. The parameter δ{sub 1c} showed different values when it was calculated using the ASTM E1820 standard and using the BS 7448: Part 1 standard. These results indicate that procedures of these standards need to be improved. Two systems with different sensitivity in the force measurement were used that showed similar results for toughness fracture but the dispersion was different. (author)

Software qualification of selected TOUGH2 modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Y.S.; Ahlers, C.F.; Fraser, P.; Simmons, A.; Pruess, K.

1996-10-01

The purpose of this package of reports is to provide all software baseline documents necessary for the software qualification of the single-phase Gas (EOS1G), Effective Continuum Method (ECM), Saturated/Unsaturated Flow (EOS9), and Radionuclide Transport (T2R3D) modules of TOUGH2, a numerical simulation code for multi-dimensional coupled fluid and heat flow of multiphase, multicomponent fluid mixtures in porous and fractured media. This report contains the following sections: (1) Requirements Specification, (2) Design Description, (3) Software Validation Test Plan and Report, (4) Software User Documentation, and (5) Appendices. These sections comprise sequential parts of the Software Life Cycle, and are not intended to stand alone but should be used in conjunction with the TOUGH User's Guide (Pruess, 1987), TOUGH2--A General Purpose Numerical Simulator for Multiphase Fluid and Heat Flow (Pruess, 1991), and the above-referenced TOUGH2 software qualification document. The qualification package is complete with the attached Software Identification Form and executable source code for the single-phase Gas, Effective Continuum method, Saturated/Unsaturated Flow, and Radionuclide Transport modules of TOUGH2

TOUGH2 modeling. Pre- and post processing; TOUGH2 Modellierungen. Prae- und Postprozessing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frieling, Gerd; Bracke, Guido

2013-12-15

GRS is modeling the two-phase flow in porous media using the program TOUGH2. The report describes the TOUGH2 program structure and the essential input parameters. Some of the important physical models are discussed for better understanding of the required data input. The data processing and visualization that is very specific for the GRS work flow Is described in detail. GRS has refined the standard modules EOS7 and EOS7R, the model extensions consider the rock convergence, time dependent boundary conditions and include the direction dependent diffusion or dispersion.

ITOUGH2: Solving TOUGH inverse problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finsterle, S.; Pruess, K. [Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, CA (United States)

1995-03-01

ITOUGH2 is a program that provides inverse modeling capabilities for the TOUGH2 code. While the main purpose of ITOUGH2 is to estimate two-phase hydraulic properties of calibrating a TOUGH2 model to laboratory or field data, the information obtained by evaluating parameter sensitivities can also be used to optimize the design of an experiment, and to analyze the uncertainty of model predictions. ITOUGH2 has been applied to a number of laboratory and field experiments on different scales. Three examples are discussed in this paper, demonstrating the code`s capability to support test design, data analysis, and model predictions for a variety of TOUGH problems.

Shallow-crack toughness results for reactor pressure vessel steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theiss, T.J.; Shum, D.K.M.; Rolfe, S.T.

1992-01-01

The Heavy Section Steel Technology Program (HSST) is investigating the influence of flaw depth on the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel. To complete this investigation, techniques were developed to determine the fracture toughness from shallow-crack specimens. A total of 38 deep and shallow-crack tests have been performed on beam specimens about 100 mm deep loaded in 3-point bending. Two crack depths (a ∼ 50 and 9 mm) and three beam thicknesses (B ∼ 50, 100, and 150 mm) have been tested. Techniques were developed to estimate the toughness in terms of both the J-integral and crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD). Analytical J-integral results were consistent with experimental J-integral results, confirming the validity of the J-estimation schemes used and the effect of flaw depth on fracture toughness. Test results indicate a significant increase in the fracture toughness associated with the shallow flaw specimens in the lower transition region compared to the deep-crack fracture toughness. There is, however, little or no difference in toughness on the lower shelf where linear-elastic conditions exist for specimens with either deep or shallow flaws. The increase in shallow-flaw toughness compared with deep-flaw results appears to be well characterized by a temperature shift of 35 degree C

Preface to the Special Issue on TOUGH Symposium 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco-Martín, Laura

2017-11-01

The TOUGH Symposium 2015 was held in Berkeley, California, September 28-30, 2015. The TOUGH family of codes, developed at the Energy Geosciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), is a suite of computer programs for the simulation of multiphase and multicomponent fluid and heat flows in porous and fractured media with applications in many geosciences fields, such as geothermal reservoir engineering, nuclear waste disposal, geological carbon sequestration, oil and gas reservoirs, gas hydrate research, vadose zone hydrology and environmental remediation. Since the first release in the 1980s, many modifications and enhancements have been continuously made to TOUGH and its various descendants (iTOUGH2, TOUGH+, TOUGH-MP, TOUGHREACT, TOUGH+HYDRATE, TMVOC...), at LBNL and elsewhere. Today, these codes are used worldwide in academia, government organizations and private companies in problems involving coupled hydrological, thermal, biogeochemical and geomechanical processes. The Symposia, organized every 2-3 years, bring together developers and users for an open exchange on recent code enhancements and applications. In 2015, the Symposium was attended by one hundred participants, representing thirty-four nationalities. This Special Issue in Computers & Geosciences gathers extended versions of selected Symposium proceedings related to (i) recent enhancements to the TOUGH family of codes and (ii) coupled flow and geomechanics processes modeling.

Fracture toughness of irradiated and recovered vessel steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perosanz, F.; Lapena, J.

1998-01-01

This paper presents the fracture toughness measurements carried out on three vessel steels in an irradiated condition and after a post-irradiation recovery treatment. A statistical approach and the fracture parameters corresponding to two theoretical models of the fracture tests are used for evaluating toughness. Test results show that the neutron fluence gradually transforms the fracture behaviour of the vessel steels from ductile to brittle and seriously reduces their fracture toughness. The effectiveness of the recovery treatment, as evaluated from the toughness measurements, is confirmed, although the efficiency is not the same for the steels and depends on the evaluation parameter except in the case of almost complete recovery. The recovery effect increases with the received neutron fluence if the toughness values after treatment are compared with those in the irradiated condition rather than those in the as received condition. (orig.)

The effect of electric discharge machined notches on the fracture toughness of several structural alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joyce, J.A.; Link, R.E.

1993-09-01

Recent computational studies of the stress and strain fields at the tip of very sharp notches have shown that the stress and strain fields are very weakly dependent on the initial geometry of the notch once the notch has been blunted to a radius that is 6 to 10 times the initial root radius. It follows that if the fracture toughness of a material is sufficiently high so that fracture initiation does not occur in a specimen until the crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) reaches a value from 6 to 10 times the size of the initial notch tip diameter, then the fracture toughness will be independent of whether a fatigue crack or a machined notch served as the initial crack. In this experimental program the fracture toughness (J Ic and J resistance (J-R) curve, and CTOD) for several structure alloys was measured using specimens with conventional fatigue cracks and with EDM machined notches. The results of this program have shown, in fact, that most structural materials do not achieve initiation CTOD values on the order of 6 to 10 times the radius of even the smallest EDM notch tip presently achievable. It is found furthermore that tougher materials do not seem to be less dependent on the type of notch tip present. Some materials are shown to be much more dependent on the type of notch tip used, but no simple pattern is found that relates this observed dependence to the material strength toughness, or strain hardening rate

Fracture toughness of oxide-dispersion strengthened copper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alexander, D.J. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1996-10-01

The fracture toughness of an oxide-dispersion strengthened copper alloy AL-15 has been examined at room temperature and 250{degrees}C, in air and in vacuum (< 10{sup {minus}6} torr). Increasing test temperature causes a significant decrease in the fracture toughness of this material, in either air or vacuum environments. In addition, specimens oriented in the T-L orientation (crack growth parallel to the extrusion direction) show significantly lower toughness than those in the L-T orientation (crack growth perpendicular to the extrusion direction).

TOUGH2 User's Guide Version 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pruess, K.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Moridis, G.J.

1999-01-01

TOUGH2 is a numerical simulator for nonisothermal flows of multicomponent, multiphase fluids in one, two, and three-dimensional porous and fractured media. The chief applications for which TOUGH2 is designed are in geothermal reservoir engineering, nuclear waste disposal, environmental assessment and remediation, and unsaturated and saturated zone hydrology. TOUGH2 was first released to the public in 1991; the 1991 code was updated in 1994 when a set of preconditioned conjugate gradient solvers was added to allow a more efficient solution of large problems. The current Version 2.0 features several new fluid property modules and offers enhanced process modeling capabilities, such as coupled reservoir-wellbore flow, precipitation and dissolution effects, and multiphase diffusion. Numerous improvements in previously released modules have been made and new user features have been added, such as enhanced linear equation solvers, and writing of graphics files. The T2VOC module for three-phase flows of water, air and a volatile organic chemical (VOC), and the T2DM module for hydrodynamic dispersion in 2-D flow systems have been integrated into the overall structure of the code and are included in the Version 2.0 package. Data inputs are upwardly compatible with the previous version. Coding changes were generally kept to a minimum, and were only made as needed to achieve the additional functionalities desired. TOUGH2 is written in standard FORTRAN77 and can be run on any platform, such as workstations, PCs, Macintosh, mainframe and supercomputers, for which appropriate FORTRAN compilers are available. This report is a self-contained guide to application of TOUGH2 to subsurface flow problems. It gives a technical description of the TOUGH2 code, including a discussion of the physical processes modeled, and the mathematical and numerical methods used. Illustrative sample problems are presented along with detailed instructions for preparing input data

Effect of plastic strain on elastic-plastic fracture toughness of SM490 carbon steel. Assessment by stress-based criterion for ductile crack initiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamaya, Masayuki

2012-01-01

Although the plastic strain induced in materials increases the mechanical strength, it may reduce the fracture toughness. In this study, the change in fracture toughness of SM490 carbon steel due to pre-straining was investigated using a stress-based criterion for ductile crack initiation. The specimens with blunt notch of various radiuses were used in addition to those with conventional fatigue pre-cracking. The degree of applied plastic strain was 5%, 10% or 20%. The fracture toughness was largest when the induced plastic strain was 5%, although it decreased for the plastic strains of 10% and 20%. The stress and strain distributions near the crack tip of fracture toughness test specimens was investigated by elastic-plastic finite element analyses using a well-correlated stress-strain curve for large strain. It was shown that the critical condition at the onset of the ductile crack was better correlated with the equivalent stress than the plastic strain at the crack tip. By using the stress-based criterion, which was represented by the equivalent stress and stress triaxiality, the change in the fracture toughness due to pre-straining could be reasonably explained. Based on these results, it was concluded that the stress-based criterion should be used for predicting the ductile crack initiation. (author)

Strength-toughness relations in sintered and isostatically hot-pressed ZrO2-toughened Al2O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hori, S.; Yoshimura, M.; Somiya, S.

1986-01-01

The fracture toughness of fine-grained undoped ZrO 2 -toughened Al 2 O 3 (ZTA) was essentially unchanged by post-sintering hot isostatic pressing and increased monotonically with ZrO 2 additions up to 25 wt%. The strength of ZTA with 5 to 15 wt% tetragonal ZrO 2 , which depended monotonically on the amount of ZrO 2 present before hot isostatic pressing, was increased by pressing but became almost constant between 5 and 15 wt% ZrO 2 addition. The strength appeared to be controlled by pores before pressing and by surface flaws after pressing; the size of flaws after pressing increased with ZrO 2 content. The strength of ZTA containing mostly monoclinic ZrO 2 (20 to 25 wt%) remained almost constant despite the noticeable density increase upon hot isostatic pressing because the strength was controlled by preexisting microcracks whose extent did not change on postsintering pressing. These strength-toughness relations in sintered and isostatically hot-pressed ZTA are explained on the basis of R-curve behavior. The importance of the contribution of microcracks to the toughness of ZTA is emphasized

Use of TOUGH2 on small computers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antunez, E.; Pruess, K.; Moridis, G. [Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, CA (United States)

1995-03-01

TOUGH2/PC has been tested extensively on different PC platforms (486-33, 486-66, Pentium-90), with encouraging results. TOUGH2 performance has also been tested in other 32-bit computers as the MacIntosh Quadra 800, and a workstation IBM RISC 6000. Results obtained with these machines are compared with PCs` performance. PC results for 3-D geothermal reservoir models are discussed, including: (a) a Cartesian; and (b) a geothermal reservoir model with 1,411 irregular grid blocks. Also discussed are the results of the TOUGH2-compiler performance tests conducted on small computer systems. Code modifications required to operate on 32-bit computers and its setup in each machine environment are described. It is concluded that in today`s market PCs provide the best price/performance alternative to conduct TOUGH2 numerical simulations.

The Investigation on Flexural Toughness of Partially Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete Immersed by Simulated Sea-Water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng GAO

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the corrosive resistance of partially steel fiber reinforced concrete (PSFRC, the flexural toughness experiment of nine specimens subjected to corrosion by alternating wet and dry cycles in a simulated marine environment were conducted, which aims at investigating the effect of corrosion time, steel fiber volume fraction and SFRC thickness on PSFRC toughness. The experimental results showed that both the mechanical and ductile characteristics of PSFRC got worse due to corrosion even if increasing the steel fiber volume. Additionally, the effect of steel fiber content on the toughness and ultimate load are greater than PSFRC thickness (t. The increase of 56.6% and 171% could be obtained in the mean ultimate load and I10 if the increase of steel fiber volume is from 0.5 % to 2.0%, respectively. This paper could offer a reference to the application of PSFRC in sea-water environment.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.23.4.17049

Reference Curves for Field Tests of Musculoskeletal Fitness in U.S. Children and Adolescents: The 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurson, Kelly R; Saint-Maurice, Pedro F; Welk, Gregory J; Eisenmann, Joey C

2017-08-01

Laurson, KR, Saint-Maurice, PF, Welk, GJ, and Eisenmann, JC. Reference curves for field tests of musculoskeletal fitness in U.S. children and adolescents: The 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey. J Strength Cond Res 31(8): 2075-2082, 2017-The purpose of the study was to describe current levels of musculoskeletal fitness (MSF) in U.S. youth by creating nationally representative age-specific and sex-specific growth curves for handgrip strength (including relative and allometrically scaled handgrip), modified pull-ups, and the plank test. Participants in the National Youth Fitness Survey (n = 1,453) were tested on MSF, aerobic capacity (via submaximal treadmill test), and body composition (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference, and skinfolds). Using LMS regression, age-specific and sex-specific smoothed percentile curves of MSF were created and existing percentiles were used to assign age-specific and sex-specific z-scores for aerobic capacity and body composition. Correlation matrices were created to assess the relationships between z-scores on MSF, aerobic capacity, and body composition. At younger ages (3-10 years), boys scored higher than girls for handgrip strength and modified pull-ups, but not for the plank. By ages 13-15, differences between the boys and girls curves were more pronounced, with boys scoring higher on all tests. Correlations between tests of MSF and aerobic capacity were positive and low-to-moderate in strength. Correlations between tests of MSF and body composition were negative, excluding absolute handgrip strength, which was inversely related to other MSF tests and aerobic capacity but positively associated with body composition. The growth curves herein can be used as normative reference values or a starting point for creating health-related criterion reference standards for these tests. Comparisons with prior national surveys of physical fitness indicate that some components of MSF have likely decreased in the United States over

Validity of fracture toughness determined with small bend specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallin, K.; Rintamaa, R.; Valo, M.

1994-02-01

This report considers the validity of fracture toughness estimates obtained with small bend specimens in relation to fracture toughness estimates obtained with large specimens. The study is based upon the analysis and comparison of actual test results. The results prove the validity of the fracture toughness determined based upon small bend specimens, especially when the results are only used to determine the fracture toughness transition temperature T o . In this case the possible error is typically less than 5 deg C and at most 10 deg C. It can be concluded that small bend specimens are very suitable for the estimation of fracture toughness in the case of brittle fracture, provided the results are corrected for statistical size effects. (orig.). (20 refs., 17 figs.)

Fracture toughness of Dy123 low porosity bulks at liquid nitrogen temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, A.; Otaka, K.; Miura, T.; Iwamoto, A.

2011-01-01

Fracture toughness values were measured for Dy123 bulks. Fracture toughness was improved by reducing porosity. Fracture toughness values at 77 K were higher than those at room temperature. Fracture toughness was also improved by Ag addition. In order to evaluate the fracture toughness of DyBa 2 Cu 3 O x (Dy123) low porosity bulks, bending tests of V-notched specimens cut from the bulks were carried out. Fracture toughness evaluations of a conventional Dy123 bulk which had pores were also carried out and effects of elimination of pores on the fracture toughness were investigated. Fracture toughness values at 77 K of the low porosity bulks were higher than those of the porous bulk. These fracture toughness values at 77 K were higher than the values at room temperature. Fracture toughness of the low porosity bulk was improved by Ag addition.

Self-concept organisation and mental toughness in sport.

Science.gov (United States)

Meggs, Jennifer; Ditzfeld, Christopher; Golby, Jim

2014-01-01

The present study examines the relationship between individual differences in evaluative self-organisation and mental toughness in sport, proposing that motivation and emotional resiliency (facets of mental toughness) stem from differences in core self. A cross-sectional assessment of 105 athletes competing at a range of performance levels took part in an online study including measures of self-reported mental toughness (Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire; Sheard, M., Golby, J., & van Wersch, A. (2009). Progress towards construct validation of the Sports Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ). European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 25(3), 186-193. doi:10.1027/1015-5759.25.3.186) and self-organisation (self-descriptive attribute task; Showers, C. J. (2002). Integration and compartmentalisation: A model of self-structure and self-change. In D. Cervone & W. Mischel (Eds.), Advances in personality science (pp. 271-291). New York, NY: Guilford Press). As predicted, global mental toughness was associated with self-concept positivity, which was particularly high in individuals with positive-integrative self-organisation (individuals who distribute positive and negative self-attributes evenly across multiple selves). Specifically, positive integration was associated with constancy (commitment to goal achievement despite obstacles and the potential for failure), which extends presumably from positive integratives' emotional stability and drive to resolve negative self-beliefs.

Using LMS Method in Smoothing Reference Centile Curves for Lipid Profile of Iranian Children and Adolescents: A CASPIAN Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Hoseini

2012-05-01

Full Text Available

Background and Objectives: LMS is a general monitoring method for fitting smooth reference centile curves in medical sciences. They provide the distribution of a measurement as it changes according to some covariates like age or time. This method describes the distribution of changes by three parameters; Mean, Coefficient of variation and Cox-Box power (skewness. Applying maximum penalized likelihood and spline function, the three curves are estimated and fitted and optimum smoothness is expressed by three curves. This study was conducted to provide the percentiles of lipid profile of Iranian children and adolescents by LMS.

Methods: Smoothed reference centile curves of four groups of lipids (triglycerides, total-LDL- and HDL-cholesterol were developed from the data of 4824 Iranian school students, aged 6-18 years, living in six cities (Tabriz, Rasht, Gorgan, Mashad, Yazd and Tehran-Firouzkouh in Iran. Demographic and laboratory data were taken from the national study of the surveillance and prevention of non-communicable diseases from childhood (CASPIAN Study. After data management, data of 4824 students were included in the statistical analysis, which was conducted by the modified LMS method proposed by Cole. The curves were developed with a degree of freedom of four to ten with some tools such as deviance, Q tests, and detrended Q-Q plot were used for monitoring goodness of fit models.

Results: All tools confirmed the model, and the LMS method was used as an appropriate method in smoothing reference centile. This method revealed the distributing features of variables serving as an objective tool to determine their relative importance.

Conclusion: This study showed that the triglycerides level is higher and

Interlaminar fracture toughness for composite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kang Yong; Kwon, Soon Man

1991-01-01

The new equation of energy release rate for a double cantilever beam specimen is proposed within the framework of the higher order shear deformable plate theory. The interlaminar fracture toughnesses by present theory, ASTM round robin test method and acoustic emission method are compared for thermoset Graphite/Epoxy and thermoplastic AS4/PEEK composites. As a result, the interlaminar fracture toughness values by present theory show good agreement within 5% when compared with ones by ASTM method and it is shown that ones by acoustic emission method yield the lower values than ones by ASTM method. It is observed that the interlaminar fracture toughness of thermoplastic AS4/PEEK composite is about ten times larger than one of thermoset Graphite/Epoxy composite. (Author)

Different approaches to estimation of reactor pressure vessel material embrittlement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Revka

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The surveillance test data for the nuclear power plant which is under operation in Ukraine have been used to estimate WWER-1000 reactor pressure vessel (RPV material embrittlement. The beltline materials (base and weld metal were characterized using Charpy impact and fracture toughness test methods. The fracture toughness test data were analyzed according to the standard ASTM 1921-05. The pre-cracked Charpy specimens were tested to estimate a shift of reference temperature T0 due to neutron irradiation. The maximum shift of reference temperature T0 is 84 °C. A radiation embrittlement rate AF for the RPV material was estimated using fracture toughness test data. In addition the AF factor based on the Charpy curve shift (ΔTF has been evaluated. A comparison of the AF values estimated according to different approaches has shown there is a good agreement between the radiation shift of Charpy impact and fracture toughness curves for weld metal with high nickel content (1,88 % wt. Therefore Charpy impact test data can be successfully applied to estimate the fracture toughness curve shift and therefore embrittlement rate. Furthermore it was revealed that radiation embrittlement rate for weld metal is higher than predicted by a design relationship. The enhanced embrittlement is most probably related to simultaneously high nickel and high manganese content in weld metal.

EOS7R: Radionuclide transport for TOUGH2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oldenburg, C.M.; Pruess, K.

1995-11-01

EOS7R provides radionuclide transport capability for TOUGH2. EOS7R extends the EOS7 module (water, brine, and optional air) to model water, brine, parent component, daughter component, and optional air and heat. The radionuclide components follow a first-order decay law, and may adsorb onto the solid grains. Volatilization of the decaying components is modeled by Henry's Law. The decaying components are normally referred to as radionuclides, but they may in fact by any trace components that decay, adsorb, and volatilize. The decay process need not be radioactive decay, but could be any process that follows a first-order decay law, such as biodegradation. EOS7R includes molecular diffusion for all components in gaseous and aqueous phases using a simplified binary diffusion model. When EOS7R is used with standard TOUGH2, transport occurs by advection and molecular diffusion in all phases. When EOS7R is coupled with the dispersion module T2DM, one obtains T2DMR, the radionuclide transport version of T2DM. T2DMR models advection, diffusion, and hydrodynamic dispersion in rectangular two-dimensional regions. Modeling of radionuclide transport requires input parameters specifying the half-life for first-order decay, distribution coefficients for each rock type for adsorption, and inverse Henry's constants for volatilization. Options can be specified in the input file to model decay in inactive grid blocks and to read from standard EOS7 INCON files. The authors present a number of example problems to demonstrate application and accuracy of TOUGH2/EOS7R. One-dimensional simulation results agree well with analytical solutions. For a two-dimensional salt-dome flow problem, the final distribution of daughter radionuclide component is complicated by the presence of weak recirculation caused by density effects due to salinity

High-temperature fracture toughness of duplex microstructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

French, J.D.; Chan, H.M.; Harmer, M.P.; Miller, G.A.

1996-01-01

The temperature dependence of the fracture toughness of ceramics exhibiting duplex microstructures was studied relative to their single-phase constituents using two test methods: bend testing of chevron-notched beams, and the indentation-crack-length technique. The two materials systems studied were Al 2 O 3 :c-ZrO 2 (Y) and Al 2 O 3 :Y 3 Al 5 O 12 (YAG), and the testing temperature ranged from room temperature to 1,200 C. The study showed that in both systems the duplex materials showed higher toughness values than their single-phase constituents above 800 C. This result was attributed to the contribution of low-energy interphase boundaries to the overall composite toughness. Indentation crack length measurements gave toughness values and trends comparable to those determined by the chevron-notched beam method. By comparing the results of the two test methods it was possible to demonstrate that the indentation calibration constant (ξ) shows no significant temperature or material dependence. For the zirconia-containing materials, however, indentation at elevated temperatures is accompanied by significant localized plasticity, which suppressed the radial cracking. Under such conditions, some caution is warranted, since localized plasticity can lead to an overestimation of the fracture toughness

Computational evaluation of the constraint loss on the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serrano Garcia, M.

2007-01-01

The Master Curve approach is included on the ASME Code through some Code Cases to assess the reactor pressure vessel integrity. However, the margin definition to be added is not defined as is the margin to be added when the Master Curve reference temperature T 0 is obtained by testing pre-cracked Charpy specimens. The reason is that the T 0 value obtained with this specimen geometry is less conservative than the value obtained by testing compact tension specimens possible due to a loss of constraint. The two parameter fracture mechanics, considered as an extension of the classical fracture mechanics, coupled to a micromechanical fracture models is a valuable tool to assess the effect of constraint loss on fracture toughness. The definition of a parameter able to connect the fracture toughens value to the constraint level on the crack tip will allow to quantify margin to be added to the T 0 value when this value is obtained testing the pre-cracked Charpy specimens included in the surveillance capsule of the reactor pressure vessel. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) define on the To value obtained by testing compact tension specimens and ben specimens (as pre-cracked Charpy are) bias. the NRC do not approved any of the direct applications of the Master Curve the reactor pressure vessel integrity assessment until this bias will be quantified in a reliable way. the inclusion of the bias on the integrity assessment is done through a margin to be added. In this thesis the bias is demonstrated an quantified empirical and numerically and a generic value is suggested for reactor pressure vessel materials, so that it can be used as a margin to be added to the T 0 value obtained by testing the Charpy specimens included in the surveillance capsules. (Author) 111 ref

Development of a Weibull model of cleavage fracture toughness for shallow flaws in reactor pressure vessel material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bass, B.R.; Williams, P.T.; McAfee, W.J.; Pugh, C.E. [Oak Ridge National Lab., Heavy-Section Steel Technology Program, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2001-07-01

probability curves indicate a difference in median toughness of 36 MPa{radical}m for the uniaxial (0:1) and biaxial (1:1) loading conditions applied to shallow surface flaws at -60 Celsius degrees. (authors)

Development of a Weibull model of cleavage fracture toughness for shallow flaws in reactor pressure vessel material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bass, B.R.; Williams, P.T.; McAfee, W.J.; Pugh, C.E.

2001-01-01

probability curves indicate a difference in median toughness of 36 MPa√m for the uniaxial (0:1) and biaxial (1:1) loading conditions applied to shallow surface flaws at -60 Celsius degrees. (authors)

Fracture toughness of dentin/resin-composite adhesive interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Tam, L E; Pilliar, R M

1993-05-01

The reliability and validity of tensile and shear bond strength determinations of dentin-bonded interfaces have been questioned. The fracture toughness value (KIC) reflects the ability of a material to resist crack initiation and unstable propagation. When applied to an adhesive interface, it should account for both interfacial bond strength and inherent defects at or near the interface, and should therefore be more appropriate for characterization of interface fracture resistance. This study introduced a fracture toughness test for the assessment of dentin/resin-composite bonded interfaces. The miniature short-rod specimen geometry was used for fracture toughness testing. Each specimen contained a tooth slice, sectioned from a bovine incisor, to form the bonded interface. The fracture toughness of an enamel-bonded interface was assessed in addition to the dentin-bonded interfaces. Tensile bond strength specimens were also prepared from the dentin surfaces of the cut bovine incisors. A minimum of ten specimens was fabricated for each group of materials tested. After the specimens were aged for 24 h in distilled water at 37 degrees C, the specimens were loaded to failure in an Instron universal testing machine. There were significant differences (p adhesives tested. Generally, both the fracture toughness and tensile bond strength measurements were highest for AllBond 2, intermediate for 3M MultiPurpose, and lowest for Scotchbond 2. Scanning electron microscopy of the fractured specimen halves confirmed that crack propagation occurred along the bond interface during the fracture toughness test. It was therefore concluded that the mini-short-rod fracture toughness test provided a valid method for characterization of the fracture resistance of the dentin-resin composite interface.

More progress on tough graphs -- The Y2K report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bauer, D.; Broersma, Haitze J.; Schmeichel, E.

2000-01-01

We now know that not every $2$-tough graph is hamiltonian. In fact for every $\\epsilon > 0$, there exists a ($9/4 - \\epsilon$) - tough nontraceable graph. We continue our quadrennial survey of results that relate the toughness of a graph to its cycle structure.

Effect of nickel content on mechanical properties and fracture toughness of weld metal of WWER-1000 reactor vessel welded joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubchenko, A.S.; Vasilchenko, G.S.; Starchenko, E.G.; Nosov, S.I.

2004-01-01

Welding of WWER-1000 reactor vessel of steel 15X2HMPHIA is performed using the C B -12X2H2MAA wire and PHI-16 or PHI-16A flux. Nickel content in the weld metal usually lays within the limits 1.2-1.9%. The experimental data is shown on the weld metal with the nickel contents 1.28-2.45% after irradiation with fluence up to 260.10 22 n/m 2 at energy more than 0.5 MEV. The embrittlement was measured by shift of critical brittleness temperature. Has appeared, that the weld metal with the low nickel content is the least responsive to irradiation embrittlement. The mechanical properties and fracture toughness of the weld metal with the contents of a nickel less than 1.3% are studied. Specimens CT-1T are tested, the 'master-curve', and its confidence bounds with probability of destruction 5 and 95% is built. 'Master-curve' in the specified confidence interval is affirmed by CT-4T specimens test data. Is shown, that the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of the weld metal with the contents of nickel less than 1.3% satisfy the normative requirements

Computerised curve deconvolution of TL/OSL curves using a popular spreadsheet program.

Science.gov (United States)

Afouxenidis, D; Polymeris, G S; Tsirliganis, N C; Kitis, G

2012-05-01

This paper exploits the possibility of using commercial software for thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence curve deconvolution analysis. The widely used software package Microsoft Excel, with the Solver utility has been used to perform deconvolution analysis to both experimental and reference glow curves resulted from the GLOw Curve ANalysis INtercomparison project. The simple interface of this programme combined with the powerful Solver utility, allows the analysis of complex stimulated luminescence curves into their components and the evaluation of the associated luminescence parameters.

Computerised curve deconvolution of TL/OSL curves using a popular spreadsheet program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afouxenidis, D.; Polymeris, G. S.; Tsirliganis, N. C.; Kitis, G.

2012-01-01

This paper exploits the possibility of using commercial software for thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence curve deconvolution analysis. The widely used software package Microsoft Excel, with the Solver utility has been used to perform deconvolution analysis to both experimental and reference glow curves resulted from the Glow Curve Analysis Intercomparison project. The simple interface of this programme combined with the powerful Solver utility, allows the analysis of complex stimulated luminescence curves into their components and the evaluation of the associated luminescence parameters. (authors)

Fracture toughness evaluation using small specimens for assuring structural integrity of PRV's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Bong Sang; Hong, J. H.; Chi, S. H.; Kim, J. H.; Yang, W. J.

1999-08-01

This report summarizes the results obtained from the three year contribution of KAERI to the IAEA-CRP on ''Assuring Structural Integrity of Reactor Pressure Vessels''. The mandatory part of this programme is to perform fracture toughness K jc tests using pre-cracked Charpy specimens on the IAEA reference material JRQ (ASTM A533-B1 steel). The results will be used to validate the small specimens for surveillance tests. In this report, three different heats of reactor pressure vessel materials are characterized by the ASTM E 1921-97 s tandard test method for determination of reference temperature, T o , for ferritic steels in the transition range . The materials are the IAEA reference plate (JRQ), a Japanese forging (JEL), and a Korean forging (KFY5). 6 refs., 7 tabs., 20 figs

Mental Toughness Attributes of Junior Level Medalist Badminton Players

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varghese C. Antony

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The study aims to compare the mental toughness attributes between medalist and non-medalist badminton players and between male and female players. Participants were 15 male and 15 female badminton players aged between 13-19 years (M= 15.71, SD=2.82. Mental toughness questionnaire of Tiwari and Sharma was administered and the data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and t-test. Medalist players have exhibited higher mean values on self-confidence, attention control, motivation and goal setting attributes. Overall mental toughness of medalists was higher 180.80±17.15 than non-medalists 170.25±20.10. Comparison analysis showed significant difference between medalists and non-medalists on mental toughness attributes: Self-confidence (SCO: p=0.001<0.05, medalists scored (M±SD=31.33±2.10 higher than non-medalists; motivation (MOT: p=0.006<0.05, medalist scored higher (M±SD=33.50±4.07; goal setting (GSE: p=0.044<0.05, medalists scored significantly higher (M±SD=33.55±4.11 than non-medalists. Other attributes did not show any significant difference between medalist and non-medalist players. When compared with gender, no significant difference was observed on mental toughness attributes except attention control (ATNCON: p=0.044<0.05, female players scored (M±SD=38.97±3.08 higher than male players. The findings confirm that mental toughness is a desired attribute which differentiates a medalist and non-medalist player. Connaughton et al., (2007 stated that elite competitive athletes possess better mental toughness. Medalist players displayed better self-confidence than the non-medalists as supported by Kuan and Roy (2007, Loehr (1986. Motivation helps players to achieve their best and enhance mental toughness (Connaughton et al., 2008; Mohammad et al., 2009. Goal setting determines successful performance Weinberg and Weigand (1993, Weinberg (2003. It was concluded that medalist badminton players showed better mental toughness

Fracture Toughness of Ceramics Fired at Different Temperatures

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Peter SIN

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The fracture toughness test was performed at room temperature on sets of 5 ceramic samples made from material for high voltage insulators (kaolin 36 wt. %, Al2O3 30 wt. %, clay 12 wt. % and feldspar 22 wt. % fired at temperatures 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1400, 1500 °C at heating and cooling rate of 5 °C/min. The precrack was made to each sample by indentation under the loads 10 N – 200 N, the dwell time was 45 s and the loading rate was 10 N/s. Results of the fracture toughness tests were in accordance with changes of structure of the samples after the partial firings. Fracture toughness from 20 °C to 500 °C is almost constant and it varies between 0.1 MPa·m0.5and 0.2 MPa·m0.5. Dehydroxylation (420 °C – 600 °C does not influence the value of fracture toughness. At temperature interval where we assume sintering (700 °C – 1250 °C we observe exponential dependence of fracture toughness up to 1.5 MPa·m0.5. From comparison of the fracture toughness, Young’s modulus and flexural strength follows a correlation and proporcionality of these mechanical properties.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.18.1.1349

An evaluation of fracture toughness of bituminous coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pathan, A.G.

2005-01-01

The role of fracture mechanics in the design of rock structures is vitally important. However, because of the complexities of rock structures and lack of understanding of the fundamentals of the failure mechanism, it has become customary to use the engineering properties approach in the design of stable rock structures. Recently considerable attention has been given and attempts are being made to apply the fracture mechanics approach to the design of safe mining structures. In mining engineering the fracture mechanics may be applied to calculate the formation of fracture zones around mine opening, thus estimating support requirements and formulating guide lines for the selection of mine roadway support system. The research work presented here is concerned with the evaluation of fracture toughness of coal under laboratory conditions. Diametral compression test method is used to determine the fracture toughness parameter of coal in the opening model failure. The effect of crack length and dimensionless crack length on the fracture toughness was studied also. A laboratory investigation of fracture toughness of coal in tensile mode failure has led to the conclusion that fracture toughness could be treated as a material property. (author)

Fractal model for estimating fracture toughness of carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rishabh, Abhishek; Joshi, Milind R.; Balani, Kantesh

2010-01-01

The current work focuses on predicting the fracture toughness of Al 2 O 3 ceramic matrix composites using a modified Mandelbrot's fractal approach. The first step confirms that the experimental fracture toughness values fluctuate within the fracture toughness range predicted as per the modified fractal approach. Additionally, the secondary reinforcements [such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs)] have shown to enhance the fracture toughness of Al 2 O 3 . Conventional fractural toughness evaluation via fractal approach underestimates the fracture toughness by considering the shortest crack path. Hence, the modified Mandelbrot's fractal approach considers the crack propagation along the CNT semicircumferential surface (three-dimensional crack path propagation) for achieving an improved fracture toughness estimation of Al 2 O 3 -CNT composite. The estimations obtained in the current approach range within 4% error regime of the experimentally measured fracture toughness values of the Al 2 O 3 -CNT composite.

Toughness of the Virunga mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) diet across an altitudinal gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Glowacka, Halszka; McFarlin, Shannon C; Vogel, Erin R; Stoinski, Tara S; Ndagijimana, Felix; Tuyisingize, Deo; Mudakikwa, Antoine; Schwartz, Gary T

2017-08-01

The robust masticatory system of mountain gorillas is thought to have evolved for the comminution of tough vegetation, yet, compared to other primates, the toughness of the mountain gorilla diet is unremarkable. This may be a result of low plant toughness in the mountain gorilla environment or of mountain gorillas feeding selectively on low-toughness foods. The goal of this paper is to determine how the toughness of the mountain gorilla diet varies across their habitat, which spans a large altitudinal range, and whether there is a relationship between toughness and food selection by mountain gorillas. We collected data on the following variables to determine whether, and if so how, they change with altitude: leaf toughness of two plant species consumed by mountain gorillas, at every 100 m increase in altitude (2,600-3,700 m); toughness of consumed foods comprising over 85% of the gorilla diet across five vegetation zones; and toughness of unconsumed/infrequently consumed plant parts of those foods. Although leaf toughness increased with altitude, the toughness of the gorilla diet remained similar. There was a negative relationship between toughness and consumption frequency, and toughness was a better predictor of consumption frequency than plant frequency, biomass, and density. Consumed plant parts were less tough than unconsumed/infrequently consumed parts and toughness of the latter increased with altitude. Although it is unclear whether gorillas select food based on toughness or use toughness as a sensory cue to impart other plant properties (e.g., macronutrients, chemicals), our results that gorillas maintain a consistent low-toughness dietary profile across altitude, despite toughness increasing with altitude, suggest that the robust gorilla masticatory apparatus evolved for repetitive mastication of foods that are not high in toughness. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Toughness degradation evaluation of low alloyed steels by electrical resistivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nahm, S H; Yu, K M; Kim, S C [Korea Research Inst. of Standards and Science, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, A [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongju Univ., Kongju, Chungnam (Korea, Republic of)

1997-09-01

Remaining life of turbine rotors with a crack can be assessed by the fracture toughness on the aged rotors at service temperature. DC potential drop measurement system was constructed in order to evaluate material toughness nondestructively. Test material was 1Cr-1Mo-0.25V steel used widely for turbine rotor material. Seven kinds of specimen with different degradation levels were prepared according to isothermal aging heat treatment at 630 deg. C. Electrical resistivity of test material was measured at room temperature. It was observed that material toughness and electrical resistivity decreased with the increase of degradation. The relationship between fracture toughness and electrical resistivity was investigated. Fracture toughness of a test material may be determined nondestructively by electrical resistivity. (author). 13 refs, 7 figs.

Accurate characterization of wafer bond toughness with the double cantilever specimen

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Kevin T.; Spearing, S. Mark

2008-01-01

The displacement loaded double cantilever test, also referred to as the "Maszara test" and the "crack opening method" by the wafer bonding community, is a common technique used to evaluate the interface toughness or surface energy of direct wafer bonds. While the specimen is widely used, there has been a persistent question as to the accuracy of the method since the actual specimen geometry differs from the ideal beam geometry assumed in the expression used for data reduction. The effect of conducting the test on whole wafer pairs, in which the arms of cantilevers are wide plates rather than slender beams, is examined in this work using finite element analysis. A model is developed to predict the equilibrium shape of the crack front and to develop a corrected expression for calculating interface toughness from crack length measurements obtained in tests conducted on whole wafer pairs. The finite element model, which is validated through comparison to experiments, demonstrates that using the traditional beam theory-based expressions for data reduction can lead to errors of up to 25%.

Investigation of impact toughness of a Ni-based superalloy at elevated temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Y.H.; Yu, J.J.; Sun, X.F.; Jin, T.; Guan, H.R.; Hu, Z.Q.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The samples show highest impact toughness at 600 °C. ► The impact toughness of samples impact at 760 °C drops sharply. ► The voids nucleation and growth are fracture mechanism at elevated temperature. ► The decrease in strength of grain boundaries causes reduction in impact toughness. -- Abstract: The impact toughness of M951 alloy is investigated in temperature range between 20 °C and 800 °C. The results show that the impact toughness of samples impacted at 600 °C shows highest impact toughness value, the impact toughness value drops sharply when the samples impacted at 760 °C. In addition samples impacted at 800 °C show the higher impact toughness than that of samples impact at 760 °C. The scanning electron microscope observations show that cracks initiate at carbides particles due to high stress concentration, which leads to low impact toughness value at 20 °C. The dimples which can absorb more energy are formed during the impact at 600 °C. The samples impacted at 760 °C show lowest impact toughness. Additionally, the dimples nucleation, growth and coalescence are the major fracture mechanism at elevated temperature.

Heavy section steel technology program technical report No. 38. Fracture toughness characterization of HSST intermediate pressure vessel material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mager, T.R.; Yanichko, S.E.; Singer, L.R.

1974-12-01

The primary objective of the Heavy Section Steel Technology (HSST) Program is to develop pertinent fracture technology to demonstrate the structural reliability of present and contemplated water-cooled nuclear reactor pressure vessels. In order to demonstrate the ability to predict failure of large, heavy-walled pressure vessels under service type loading conditions, the fracture toughness properties of the vessel's materials must be characterized. The sampling procedure and test results are presented for vessel material supplied by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that were used to characterize the fracture toughness of the HSST Intermediate Test Vessels. The metallurgical condition and heat treatment of the test material was representative of the vessel simulated service test condition. Test specimen locations and orientations were selected by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and are representative of flaw orientations incorporated in the test vessels. The fracture toughness is documented for the materials from each of the eight HSST Intermediate Pressure Vessels tested to date. 7 references. (U.S.)

Investigating liquid-metal embrittlement of T91 steel by fracture toughness tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ersoy, Feyzan, E-mail: fersoy@sckcen.be [SCK-CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Centre), Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol (Belgium); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ghent University (UGent), Technologiepark 903, B-9052, Ghent (Belgium); Gavrilov, Serguei [SCK-CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Centre), Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol (Belgium); Verbeken, Kim [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ghent University (UGent), Technologiepark 903, B-9052, Ghent (Belgium)

2016-04-15

Heavy liquid metals such as lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) are chosen as the coolant to innovative Generation IV (Gen IV) reactors where ferritic/martensitic T91 steel is a candidate material for high temperature applications. It is known that LBE has a degrading effect on the mechanical properties of this steel. This degrading effect, which is known as liquid metal embrittlement (LME), has been screened by several tests such as tensile and small punch tests, and was most severe in the temperature range from 300 °C to 425 °C. To meet the design needs, mechanical properties such as fracture toughness should be addressed by corresponding tests. For this reason liquid-metal embrittlement of T91 steel was investigated by fracture toughness tests at 350 °C. Tests were conducted in Ar-5%H{sub 2} and LBE under the same experimental conditions Tests in Ar-5%H{sub 2} were used as reference. The basic procedure in the ASTM E 1820 standard was followed to perform tests and the normalization data reduction (NDR) method was used for the analysis. Comparison of the tests demonstrated that the elastic–plastic fracture toughness (J{sub 1C}) of the material was reduced by a factor in LBE and the fracture mode changed from ductile to quasi-cleavage. It was also shown that the pre-cracking environment played an important role in observing LME of the material since it impacts the contact conditions between LBE and steel at the crack tip. It was demonstrated that when specimens were pre-cracked in air and tested in LBE, wetting of the crack surface by LBE could not be achieved. When specimens were pre-cracked in LBE though, they showed a significant reduction in fracture toughness.

Fracture toughness of mountain gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei) food plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Elgart-Berry, Alison

2004-04-01

Mountain gorillas, the largest extant primates, subsist almost entirely on plant matter. Moreover, their diet includes a substantial amount of structural material, such as bark and stems, which other primates tend to avoid. Accordingly, the robust masticatory apparatus of gorillas may be adaptive to this presumably tough diet; however, quantitative information on this subject is lacking. In this study the fracture toughness of mountain gorilla foods was examined for the first time. Samples of 44 food plants from Bwindi-Impenetrable National Park (BINP) and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (MGNP) were tested. These parks are inhabited by two gorilla populations that regarded by some as being distinct at the subspecific taxonomic level. Although food toughness did not differ between the two populations, both diets contained tough items. Tree barks were the toughest food items (varying from 0.23 to 8.2 kJ/m2), followed by shrub barks, pith, and stems. The toughness of leaves and fruit was negligible compared to that of bark. The toughness of bamboo was low in comparison to the toughest food items. Accordingly, the prominent toughness of bark, pith, and stems may be key factors in the evolution of orofacial robusticity in mountain gorillas. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The fracture toughness of Type 316 steel and weld metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picker, C.

This paper describes the results of fracture toughness tests on Type 316 steel and Manual Metal Arc (MMA) weld metal over a range of temperatures from 20 deg. C to 550 deg. C, and includes the effects on toughness of specimen size, post weld heat treatment and thermal ageing. The conclusions reached are that Type 316 steel possesses a superior toughness to the weld metal in the as-welded or stress relieved conditions but the toughness of the steel is degraded to a level similar to that of the weld metal following thermal ageing at temperatures over 600 deg. C. Relatively short term thermal ageing in the temperature range 370 deg. C to 450 deg. C does not appear to affect the toughness of either Type 316 steel or weld metal. (author)

Technology development on analysis program for measuring fracture toughness of irradiated specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibata, Akira; Takada, Fumiki

2007-03-01

The fracture toughness which represents resistance for brittle or ductile fracture is one of the most important material property concerning linear and non-linear fracture mechanics analyses. In order to respond to needs of collecting data relating to fracture toughness of pressure vessel and austenitic stainless steels, fracture toughness test for irradiated materials has been performed in JMTR hot laboratory. On the other hand, there has been no computer program for analysis of fracture toughness using the test data obtained from the test apparatus installed in the hot cell. Therefore, only load-displacement data have been provided to users to calculate fracture toughness of irradiated materials. Recently, request of analysis of fracture toughness have been increased. Thus a computer program, which calculates the amount of the crack extension, the compliance and the fracture toughness from the data acquired from the test apparatus installed in the hot cell, has been developed. In the program unloading elastic compliance method is applied based on ASTM E1820-01. Through the above development, the request for the fracture toughness analysis can be satisfied and the fracture toughness of irradiated test specimens can be provided to users. (author)

Fracture toughness of manet II steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gboneim, M.M.; Munz, D.

1997-01-01

High fracture toughness was evaluated according to the astm and chromium (9-12) martensitic steels combine high strength and toughness with good corrosion and oxidation resistance in a range of environments, and also show relatively high creep strength at intermediate temperatures. They therefore find applications in, for example, the offshore oil and gas production and chemical industries i pipe work and reaction vessels, and in high temperature steam plant in power generation systems. Recently, the use of these materials in the nuclear field was considered. They are candidates as tubing materials for breeder reactor steam generators and as structural materials for the first wall and blanket in fusion reactors. The effect of ageing on the tensile properties and fracture toughness of a 12 Cr-1 Mo-Nb-v steel, MANET II, was investigated in the present work. Tensile specimens and compact tension (CT) specimens were aged at 550 degree C for 1000 h. The japanese standards. Both microstructure and fracture surface were examined using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that ageing did not affect the tensile properties. However, the fracture toughness K Ic and the tearing modules T were reduced due to the ageing treatment. The results were discussed in the light of the chemical composition and the fracture surface morphology. 9 figs., 3 tabs

Curved electromagnetic missiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, J.M.; Shen, H.M.; Wu, T.T.

1989-01-01

Transient electromagnetic fields can exhibit interesting behavior in the limit of great distances from their sources. In situations of finite total radiated energy, the energy reaching a distant receiver can decrease with distance much more slowly than the usual r - 2 . Cases of such slow decrease have been referred to as electromagnetic missiles. All of the wide variety of known missiles propagate in essentially straight lines. A sketch is presented here of a missile that can follow a path that is strongly curved. An example of a curved electromagnetic missile is explicitly constructed and some of its properties are discussed. References to details available elsewhere are given

The toughness of secondary cell wall and woody tissue

OpenAIRE

Lucas, P. W.; Tan, H. T. W.; Cheng, P. Y.

1997-01-01

The 'across grain' toughness of 51 woods has been determined on thin wet sections using scissors. The moisture content of sections and the varying sharpness of the scissor blades had little effect on the results. In thin sections (less than 0.6mm), toughness rose linearly with section thickness. The intercept toughness at zero thickness, estimated from regression analysis, was proportional to relative density, consistent with values reported for non-woody plant tissues. Extrapolation of the i...

A RVI/LAI-reference curve to detect N stress and guide N fertigation using combined information from spectral reflectance and leaf area measurements in potato

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhenjiang, Zhou; Plauborg, Finn; Thomsen, Anton Gårde

2017-01-01

More user-friendly methods are needed to detect crop N status/stress and guide the timing of in-season N application. In the current study, a reference curve method of detecting N stress was proposed to remedy practical problems of methods that require leaf sampling or maintaining a N sufficient...... was applied during the season. The total N ranged from 0 to180 kg N ha−1. RVI and LAI from the economically optimum 180 kg N ha−1 treatments were used to derive the reference curve. RVI and LAI from 180 kg N ha−1 treatment had a high (R2 = 0.97) correlation and were best fitted with a 2nd order polynomial...... function, which was independent of season. The treatments where N fertigation was stopped before reaching 180 kg N ha−1 started to deviate from the 95% confidence interval of the reference curve about 10 days after N-fertigation was stopped. This corresponded to 10–20 kg ha−1 difference in total plant N...

On the Evolutionary Stability of 'Tough' Bargaining Behavior

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Anders

2003-01-01

This paper investigates whether 'tough' bargaining behavior, which gives rise to inefficiency, can be evolutionary stable. We show that in a two-stage Nash Demand Game such behavior survives. We also study the Ultimatum Game. Here evolutionary selection wipes out all tough behavior, as long as th...

New method of safety assessment for pressure vessel of nuclear power plant--brief introduction of master curve approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Wendou

2011-01-01

The new Master Curve Method is called as a revolutionary advance to the assessment of- reactor pressure vessel integrity in USA. This paper explains the origin, basis and standard of the Master Curve from the reactor pressure-temperature limit curve which assures the safety of nuclear power plant. According to the characteristics of brittle fracture which is greatly susceptible to the microstructure, the theory and the test method of the Master Curve as well as its statistical law which can be modeled using Weibull distribution are described in this paper. The meaning, advantage, application and importance of the Master Curve as well as the relation between the Master Curve and nuclear power safety are understood from the fitting formula for the fracture toughness database by Weibull distribution model. (author)

Microstructure and fracture toughness of Mn-stabilized cubic titanium trialuminide

Science.gov (United States)

Zbroniec, Leszek Ireneusz

This thesis project is related to the fracture toughness aspects of the mechanical behavior of the selected Mn-modified cubic Ll2 titanium trialuminicles. Fracture toughness was evaluated using two specimen types: Single-Edge-Precracked-Beam (SEPB) and Chevron-Notched-Beam (CNB). The material tested was in cast, homogenized and HIP-ed condition. In the preliminary stage of the project due to lack of the ASTM Standard for fracture toughness testing of the chevron-notched specimens in bending the analyses of the CNB configuration were done to establish the optimal chevron notch dimensions. Two types of alloys were investigated: (a) boron-free and boron doped low-Mn (9at.% Mn), as well as (b) boron-free and boron-doped high-Mn (14at.% Mn). Toughness was investigated in the temperature range from room temperature to 1000°C and was calculated from the maximum load. It has been found that toughness of coarse-grained "base" 9Mn-25Ti alloy exhibits a broad peak at the 200--500°C temperature range and then decreases with increasing temperature, reaching its room temperature value at 10000°C. However, the work of fracture (gammaWOF) and the stress intensity factor calculated from it (KIWOF) increases continuously with increasing temperature. Also the fracture mode dependence on temperature has been established. To understand the effect of environment on the fracture toughness of coarse-grained "base", boron-free 9Mn-25Ti alloy, the tests were carried out in vacuum (˜1.3 x 10-5 Pa), argon, oxygen, water and liquid nitrogen. It has been shown that fracture toughness at ambient temperature is not affected by the environments containing moisture (water vapor). It seems that at ambient temperatures these materials are completely immune to the water-vapor hydrogen embrittlement and their cause of brittleness is other than environment. To explore the influence of the grain size on fracture toughness the fracture toughness tests were also performed on the dynamically

Use of miniaturized compact tension specimens for fracture toughness measurements in the upper shelf regime. Electrabel/Tractebel-SCK-CEN Convention 2004 Task 1.1.4/2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucon, E.; Scibetta, M.; Chaouadi, R.; Walle, E. van

2005-04-01

In the nuclear field, the importance of direct fracture toughness measurements on RPV materials has been nowadays widely recognized, as opposed to Charpy-based estimations. However, sample dimensions have to be kept small in order to optimize the use of available material (often in the form of previously broken Charpy specimens) or, in the case of new irradiations, make effective use of the limited space available inside irradiation facilities. One of the most appealing geometries for fracture toughness measurements is the miniature Compact Tension specimen, MC(T), which has the following dimensions: B = 4.15 mm, W = 8.3 mm, cross section 10 x 10 mm 2 . Four MC(T) specimens can be machined out of a broken half Charpy, and in the case of irradiation ten MC(T) samples occupy approximately the same volume as a full-size Charpy specimen. The MC(T) geometry was already successfully applied and qualified for fracture toughness assessments in the ductile-to-brittle transition regime, using the Master Curve method (ASTM E1921-03). A further, comprehensive investigation is presented in this report, aimed at assessing the applicability of MC(T) specimens to measure fracture toughness in fully ductile (upper shelf) conditions. In this study, 18 1TC(T) and 20 MC(T) specimens have been tested at different temperatures from three RPV steels and one low-alloy C-Mn steel. The results obtained clearly show that MC(T) samples exhibit lower fracture toughness properties, both in terms of initiation of ductile tearing (according to various test standards) and resistance to ductile crack propagation (J-R curve). The reduction of tearing resistance might be attributed to work hardening prevailing over loss of constraint in the uncracked ligament in a side-grooved specimen, or to the inadequacy of J-integral to represent ductile crack extension in very small specimens. Both arguments will have to be verified with further investigations. (author)

Delamination R-curve as a material property of unidirectional glass/epoxy composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shokrieh, M.M.; Heidari-Rarani, M.; Ayatollahi, M.R.

2012-01-01

Highlights: → The R-curve behavior of a unidirectional laminate as a material property is investigated. → Effect of initial crack length and thickness on R-curve is experimentally shown. → A mathematical relation is proposed to model the R-curve behavior of any unidirectional laminated composite. -- Abstract: It is still questionable to think of delamination resistance of a double cantilever beam (DCB) as a material property independent of the specimen size and geometry. In this research, the effects of initial crack length and DCB specimen thickness on the mode I delamination resistance curve (R-curve) behavior of different unidirectional glass/epoxy DCB specimens are experimentally investigated. It is observed that the magnitudes of initiation and propagation delamination toughness (G Ic-init and G Ic-prop ) as well as the fiber bridging length are constant in a specific range of the initial crack length to the DCB specimen thickness ratios of 8.5 0 /h < 19. Finally, a mathematical relationship is proposed for prediction of mode I delamination behavior (from the initiation to propagation) of E-glass/epoxy DCB specimens.

Study on elastic-plastic fracture toughness test in high temperature water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Yasufumi

2016-01-01

Structural integrity of internal components in light water reactors is important for the safety of operation and service lifetime. Fracture toughness is important parameter for structural integrity assessment of nuclear power plant. In general, fracture toughness of materials which compose the components in light water reactor is obtained with fracture toughness tests in air although some components are subjected to high temperature water because of the difficulty of fracture toughness test in high temperature water. However, the effects of high temperature water and hydrogen on fracture behavior of the structural materials in nuclear power plant such as low alloy steel, cast austenitic stainless steel, and Ni base alloy are concerned recently. In this study, elastic-plastic fracture toughness test of low alloy steel in simulated BWR water environment was studied. Fracture toughness test in high temperature water with original clip gage and normalization data reduction technique was established. The difference of fracture toughness J_Q tested in air between using elastic unload compliance method and normalization data reduction technique was also discussed. As a result, obtained value with normalization data reduction technique tended to be higher than the value with elastic unload compliance. (author)

Evaluation of fracture toughness of ductile cast iron for casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hide, Koh-ichiro; Arai, Taku; Takaku, Hiroshi; Shimazaki, Katsunori; Kusanagi, Hideo

1988-01-01

We studied the fracture toughness and tensile properties of ductile cast iron for casks, and tried to introduce a fatigue crack into partial cask model. Main results were shown as follows. (1) Fracture toughness were in the upper shelf area above -25deg C, and were in the transition area at -40 and -70deg C. (2) Increasing the value of K I , the fracture toughness decreased. (3) Increasing the specimen thickness, fracture toughness decreased. (4) Fracture toughness of an artificial flaw (ρ=0.1 mm) was the same as that of a fatigue crack at -40deg C. (5) Tensil properties were inferior at -196 and about 400deg C because of low temperature brittleness and blue brittleness. (6) Tensile properties in the middle of cask wall were inferior. (7) It seems to be possible to introduce a fatigue crack into a full size cask. (author)

Fracture toughness of ferritic alloys irradiated at FFTF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, F.H.

1986-05-01

Ferritic compact tension specimens loaded in the Material Open Test Assembly (MOTA) for irradiation during FFTF Cycle 4 were tested at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 428/degree/C. The electrical potential single specimen method was used to measure the fracture toughness of the specimens. Results showed that the fracture toughness of both HT-9 and 9Cr-1Mo decreases with increasing test temperature and that the toughness of HT-9 was about 30% higher than that of 9Cr-1Mo. In addition, increasing irradiation temperature resulted in an increase in tearing modulus for both alloys. 4 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Determination of ASTM 1016 structural welded joints fracture toughness through J integral

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Geraldo de Paula; Villela, Jefferson Jose; Terra, Jose Lucio; Rabello, Emerson Giovani; Martins, Geraldo Antonio Scoralick; Carneiro, Jose Rubens Goncalves

2009-01-01

Fracture toughness is an important parameter for studies of materials behavior in nuclear and conventional industry. Crack propagation resistance is, in general, evaluate using one of the fracture mechanics parameters K IC , for the case of the materials that exhibits a linear elastic behavior, the CTOD (crack tip opening displacement) and J IC , the critical value of J Integral, for the case of materials with elastic-plastic behavior. On this work the fracture mechanics parameters of the ASTM 1016 structural steel welded joints were obtained, using the J Integral. Charpy V tests at several temperatures were also obtained, with the purpose to obtain the curves of ductile-brittle of the regions of the welded joints: Base Metal, (MB), and Melted Zone (MZ). The joints were welded by Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) with V bevel for evaluation the MZ toughness properties. The tests were accomplished at temperatures varying from -100 deg C to 100 deg C using the technical of compliance variation for J IC determination, the critical value that defines the initial stable crack growth, that applies to brittle and ductile materials. The J Integral alternative specimens has square cross section 10mmX10mm, according ASTM E 1820, with notch localized respectively at the BM and MZ. After the tests, the specimens fractured were analyzed in a scanning microscopic electronic (SME) for verification of the fracture surface. The fractography of the specimens at elevated temperatures presented dimples at the region of stable crack growth, characteristic of ductile fracture. The results of J Integral and Charpy V presented a good correlation between these two parameters. From these correlations it can be concluded that in some applications, the use Charpy V energy to infer fracture toughness can be substitute the Integral J tests. (author)

46 CFR 57.06-5 - Production toughness testing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Production toughness testing. 57.06-5 Section 57.06-5 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING WELDING AND BRAZING Production Tests § 57.06-5 Production toughness testing. (a) In addition to the test specimens required by...

Effect of nickel content on mechanical properties and fracture toughness of weld metal of WWER-1000 reactor vessel welded joints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zubchenko, A.S.; Vasilchenko, G.S.; Starchenko, E.G.; Nosov, S.I

2004-08-01

Welding of WWER-1000 reactor vessel of steel 15X2HMPHIA is performed using the C{sub B}-12X2H2MAA wire and PHI-16 or PHI-16A flux. Nickel content in the weld metal usually lays within the limits 1.2-1.9%. The experimental data is shown on the weld metal with the nickel contents 1.28-2.45% after irradiation with fluence up to 260.10{sup 22}n/m{sup 2} at energy more than 0.5 MEV. The embrittlement was measured by shift of critical brittleness temperature. Has appeared, that the weld metal with the low nickel content is the least responsive to irradiation embrittlement. The mechanical properties and fracture toughness of the weld metal with the contents of a nickel less than 1.3% are studied. Specimens CT-1T are tested, the 'master-curve', and its confidence bounds with probability of destruction 5 and 95% is built. 'Master-curve' in the specified confidence interval is affirmed by CT-4T specimens test data. Is shown, that the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of the weld metal with the contents of nickel less than 1.3% satisfy the normative requirements.

Mental toughness in sport: motivational antecedents and associations with performance and psychological health.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahoney, John W; Gucciardi, Daniel F; Ntoumanis, Nikos; Mallett, Cliff J; Mallet, Cliff J

2014-06-01

We argue that basic psychological needs theory (BPNT) offers impetus to the value of mental toughness as a mechanism for optimizing human functioning. We hypothesized that psychological needs satisfaction (thwarting) would be associated with higher (lower) levels of mental toughness, positive affect, and performance and lower (higher) levels of negative affect. We also expected that mental toughness would be associated with higher levels of positive affect and performance and lower levels of negative affect. Further, we predicted that coaching environments would be related to mental toughness indirectly through psychological needs and that psychological needs would indirectly relate with performance and affect through mental toughness. Adolescent cross-country runners (136 male and 85 female, M(age) = 14.36) completed questionnaires pertaining to BPNT variables, mental toughness, and affect. Race times were also collected. Our findings supported our hypotheses. We concluded that BPNT is generative in understanding some of the antecedents and consequences of mental toughness and is a novel framework useful for understanding mental toughness.

Rock Fracture Toughness Study Under Mixed Mode I/III Loading

Science.gov (United States)

Aliha, M. R. M.; Bahmani, A.

2017-07-01

Fracture growth in underground rock structures occurs under complex stress states, which typically include the in- and out-of-plane sliding deformation of jointed rock masses before catastrophic failure. However, the lack of a comprehensive theoretical and experimental fracture toughness study for rocks under contributions of out-of plane deformations (i.e. mode III) is one of the shortcomings of this field. Therefore, in this research the mixed mode I/III fracture toughness of a typical rock material is investigated experimentally by means of a novel cracked disc specimen subjected to bend loading. It was shown that the specimen can provide full combinations of modes I and III and consequently a complete set of mixed mode I/III fracture toughness data were determined for the tested marble rock. By moving from pure mode I towards pure mode III, fracture load was increased; however, the corresponding fracture toughness value became smaller. The obtained experimental fracture toughness results were finally predicted using theoretical and empirical fracture models.

TOUGH2 User's Guide Version 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruess, K.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Moridis, G.J.

1999-11-01

TOUGH2 is a numerical simulator for nonisothermal flows of multicomponent, multiphase fluids in one, two, and three-dimensional porous and fractured media. The chief applications for which TOUGH2 is designed are in geothermal reservoir engineering, nuclear waste disposal, environmental assessment and remediation, and unsaturated and saturated zone hydrology. TOUGH2 was first released to the public in 1991; the 1991 code was updated in 1994 when a set of preconditioned conjugate gradient solvers was added to allow a more efficient solution of large problems. The current Version 2.0 features several new fluid property modules and offers enhanced process modeling capabilities, such as coupled reservoir-wellbore flow, precipitation and dissolution effects, and multiphase diffusion. Numerous improvements in previously released modules have been made and new user features have been added, such as enhanced linear equation solvers, and writing of graphics files. The T2VOC module for three-phase flows of water, air and a volatile organic chemical (VOC), and the T2DM module for hydrodynamic dispersion in 2-D flow systems have been integrated into the overall structure of the code and are included in the Version 2.0 package. Data inputs are upwardly compatible with the previous version. Coding changes were generally kept to a minimum, and were only made as needed to achieve the additional functionalities desired. TOUGH2 is written in standard FORTRAN77 and can be run on any platform, such as workstations, PCs, Macintosh, mainframe and supercomputers, for which appropriate FORTRAN compilers are available. This report is a self-contained guide to application of TOUGH2 to subsurface flow problems. It gives a technical description of the TOUGH2 code, including a discussion of the physical processes modeled, and the mathematical and numerical methods used. Illustrative sample problems are presented along with detailed instructions for preparing input data.

Effects of toughness anisotropy and combined tension, torsion, and bending loads on fracture behavior of ferritic nuclear pipe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohan, R.; Marshall, C.; Ghadiali, N.; Wilkowski, G. [Battelle, Columbus, OH (United States)

1997-04-01

This paper summarizes work on angled through-wall-crack initiation and combined loading effects on ferritic nuclear pipe performed as part of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s research program entitled {open_quotes}Short Cracks In Piping an Piping Welds{close_quotes}. The reader is referred to Reference 1 for details of the experiments and analyses conducted as part of this program. The major impetus for this work stemmed from the observation that initially circumferentially oriented cracks in carbon steel pipes exhibited a high tendency to grow at a different angle when the cracked pipes were subjected to bending or bending plus pressure loads. This failure mode was little understood, and the effect of angled crack grown from an initially circumferential crack raised questions about how cracks in a piping system subjected to combined loading with torsional stresses would behave. There were three major efforts undertaken in this study. The first involved a literature review to assess the causes of toughness anisotropy in ferritic pipes and to develop strength and toughness data as a function of angle from the circumferential plane. The second effort was an attempt to develop a screening criterion based on toughness anisotropy and to compare this screening criterion with experimental pipe fracture data. The third and more significant effort involved finite element analyses to examine why cracks grow at an angle and what is the effect of combined loads with torsional stresses on a circumferentially cracked pipe. These three efforts are summarized.

The loss of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) reduces bone toughness and fracture toughness.

Science.gov (United States)

Makowski, Alexander J; Uppuganti, Sasidhar; Wadeer, Sandra A; Whitehead, Jack M; Rowland, Barbara J; Granke, Mathilde; Mahadevan-Jansen, Anita; Yang, Xiangli; Nyman, Jeffry S

2014-05-01

Even though age-related changes to bone tissue affecting fracture risk are well characterized, only a few matrix-related factors have been identified as important to maintaining fracture resistance. As a gene critical to osteoblast differentiation, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is possibly one of these important factors. To test the hypothesis that the loss of ATF4 affects the fracture resistance of bone beyond bone mass and structure, we harvested bones from Atf4+/+ and Atf4-/- littermates at 8 and 20 weeks of age (n≥9 per group) for bone assessment across several length scales. From whole bone mechanical tests in bending, femurs from Atf4-/- mice were found to be brittle with reduced toughness and fracture toughness compared to femurs from Atf4+/+ mice. However, there were no differences in material strength and in tissue hardness, as determined by nanoindentation, between the genotypes, irrespective of age. Tissue mineral density of the cortex at the point of loading as determined by micro-computed tomography was also not significantly different. However, by analyzing local composition by Raman Spectroscopy (RS), bone tissue of Atf4-/- mice was found to have higher mineral to collagen ratio compared to wild-type tissue, primarily at 20 weeks of age. From RS analysis of intact femurs at 2 orthogonal orientations relative to the polarization axis of the laser, we also found that the organizational-sensitive peak ratio, ν1Phosphate per Amide I, changed to a greater extent upon bone rotation for Atf4-deficient tissue, implying bone matrix organization may contribute to the brittleness phenotype. Target genes of ATF4 activity are not only important to osteoblast differentiation but also in maintaining bone toughness and fracture toughness. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Loss of Activating Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4) Reduces Bone Toughness and Fracture Toughness

Science.gov (United States)

Makowski, Alexander J.; Uppuganti, Sasidhar; Waader, Sandra A.; Whitehead, Jack M.; Rowland, Barbara J.; Granke, Mathilde; Mahadevan-Jansen, Anita; Yang, Xiangli; Nyman, Jeffry S.

2014-01-01

Even though age-related changes to bone tissue affecting fracture risk are well characterized, only a few matrix-related factors have been identified as important to maintaining fracture resistance. As a gene critical to osteoblast differentiation, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is possibly one of the seimportant factors. To test the hypothesis that the loss of ATF4 affects the fracture resistance of bone beyond bone mass and structure, we harvested bones from Atf4+/+ and Atf4−/− littermates at 8 and 20 weeks of age (n≥9 per group) for bone assessment across several length scales. From whole bone mechanical tests in bending, femurs from Atf4−/− mice were found to be brittle with reduced toughness and fracture toughness compared to femurs from Atf4+/+ mice. However, there were no differences in material strength and in tissue hardness, as determined by nanoindentation, between the genotypes, irrespective age. Tissue mineral density of the cortex at the point of loading as determined by micro-computed tomography was also not significantly different. However, by analyzing local composition by Raman Spectroscopy (RS), bone tissue of Atf4−/− mice was found to have higher mineral to collagen ratio compared to wild-type tissue, primarily at 20 weeks of age. From RS analysis of intact femurs at 2 orthogonal orientations relative to the polarization axis of the laser, we also found that the organizational-sensitive peak ratio, ν1 Phosphate per Amide I, changed to a greater extent upon bone rotation for Atf4-deficient tissue, implying bone matrix organization may contribute to the brittleness phenotype. Target genes of ATF4 activity are not only important to osteoblast differentiation but also maintaining bone toughness and fracture toughness. PMID:24509412

Power Curve Measurements REWS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gómez Arranz, Paula; Vesth, Allan

This report describes the power curve measurements carried out on a given wind turbine in a chosen period. The measurements were carried out following the measurement procedure in the draft of IEC 61400-12-1 Ed.2 [1], with some deviations mostly regarding uncertainty calculation. Here, the refere......This report describes the power curve measurements carried out on a given wind turbine in a chosen period. The measurements were carried out following the measurement procedure in the draft of IEC 61400-12-1 Ed.2 [1], with some deviations mostly regarding uncertainty calculation. Here......, the reference wind speed used in the power curve is the equivalent wind speed obtained from lidar measurements at several heights between lower and upper blade tip, in combination with a hub height meteorological mast. The measurements have been performed using DTU’s measurement equipment, the analysis...

NEW CONCEPTS AND TEST METHODS OF CURVE PROFILE AREA DENSITY IN SURFACE: ESTIMATION OF AREAL DENSITY ON CURVED SPATIAL SURFACE

OpenAIRE

Hong Shen

2011-01-01

The concepts of curve profile, curve intercept, curve intercept density, curve profile area density, intersection density in containing intersection (or intersection density relied on intersection reference), curve profile intersection density in surface (or curve intercept intersection density relied on intersection of containing curve), and curve profile area density in surface (AS) were defined. AS expressed the amount of curve profile area of Y phase in the unit containing surface area, S...

Biaxial loading effects on fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McAfee, W.J.; Bass, B.R.; Bryson, J.W. Jr.; Pennell, W.E.

1995-03-01

The preliminary phases of a program to develop and evaluate fracture methodologies for assessing crack-tip constraint effects on fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels have been completed by the Heavy-Section Steel Technology (HSST) Program. Objectives were to investigate effect of biaxial loading on fracture toughness, quantify this effect through existing stress-based, dual-parameter, fracture-toughness correlations, or propose and verify alternate correlations. A cruciform beam specimen with 2-D, shallow, through-thickness flaw and a special loading fixture was designed and fabricated. Tests were performed using biaxial loading ratios of 0:1 (uniaxial), 0.6:1, and 1:1 (equi-biaxial). Critical fracture-toughness values were calculated for each test. Biaxial loading of 0.6:1 resulted in a reduction in the lower bound fracture toughness of ∼12% as compared to that from the uniaxial tests. The biaxial loading of 1:1 yielded two subsets of toughness values; one agreed well with the uniaxial data, while one was reduced by ∼43% when compared to the uniaxial data. Results were evaluated using J-Q theory and Dodds-Anderson (D-A) micromechanical scaling model. The D-A model predicted no biaxial effect, while the J-Q method gave inconclusive results. When applied to the 1:1 biaxial data, these constraint methodologies failed to predict the observed reduction in fracture toughness obtained in one experiment. A strain-based constraint methodology that considers the relationship between applied biaxial load, the plastic zone width in the crack plane, and fracture toughness was formulated and applied successfully to the data. Evaluation of this dual-parameter strain-based model led to the conclusion that it has the capability of representing fracture behavior of RPV steels in the transition region, including the effects of out-of-plane loading on fracture toughness. This report is designated as HSST Report No. 150

A new implementation of digital X-ray radiogrammetry and reference curves of four indices of cortical bone for healthy European adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thodberg, Hans Henrik; Böttcher, Joachim; Lomholt, Jens

2016-01-01

UNLABELLED: Digital X-ray radiogrammetry performs measurements on a hand radiograph in digital form. We present an improved implementation of the method and provide reference curves for four indices for the amount of bone. We collected 1662 hand radiographs of healthy subjects of age 9-100 years....... PURPOSE: The digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR) method has been shown to be efficient for diagnosis of osteoporosis and for assessment of progression of rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this work is to present a new DXR implementation and reference curves of four indices of cortical bone and to compare...... their relative SDs in healthy subjects at fixed age and gender. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1662 hand radiographs of healthy subjects of age 9-100 years were collected in Jena in 2001-2005. We also used a longitudinal study of 116 Danish children born in 1952 with on average 11 images taken over the age...

Irradiated dynamic fracture toughness of ASTM A533, Grade B, Class 1 steel plate and submerged arc weldment. Heavy section steel technology program technical report No. 41

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, J.A.; Ceschini, L.J.; Shogan, R.P.; Rao, G.V.

1976-10-01

As a result of the Heavy Section Steel Technology Program (HSST), sponsored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Westinghouse Electric Corporation conducted dynamic fracture toughness tests on irradiated HSST Plate 02 and submerged arc weldment material. Testing performed at the Westinghouse Research and Development Laboratory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, included 0.394T compact tension, 1.9T compact tension, and 4T compact tension specimens. This data showed that, in the transition region, dynamic test procedures resulted in lower (compared to static) fracture toughness results, and that weak direction (WR) oriented specimen data were lower than the strong direction (RW) oriented specimen results. Irradiated lower-bound fracture toughness results of the HSST Program material were well above the adjusted ASME Section III K/sub IR/ curve. An irradiated and nonirradiated 4T-CT specimen was tested during a fracture toughness test as a preliminary study to determine the effect of irradiation on the acoustic emission-stress intensity factor relation in pressure vessel grade steel. The results indicated higher levels of acoustic emission activity from the irradiated sample as compared to the unirradiated one at a given stress intensity factor (K) level

Use of J-integral and modified J-integral as measures of elastic-plastic fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, D.A.; Hays, R.A.; Hackett, E.M.; Joyce, J.A.

1988-01-01

J-R Curve tests were conducted on 12T, 1T and 2T compact specimens of materials having J/sub IC/ values ranging from 150 in-lbsq in to over 2600 in-lbsq in. These materials were chosen such that some would exceed the maximum crack length criterion of ASTM E1152-87 prior to reaching the maximum J criterion (3-Ni steel, 5000 series Al) and some would exceed the maximum J criterion first (A533B, A710). The elastic-plastic fracture behavior of these materials was examined using both the deformation theory J-integral (J/sub D/) and the modified J-integral (J/sub M/). The J-R curve testing was performed to very large values of crack opening displacement (COD) where the crack growth was typically 75% of the original remaining ligament. The results of this work suggest that the J/sub D/-R curves exhibit no specimen size dependence to crack extensions far in excess of the E1152 allowables. The J/sub M/-R curves calculated for the same specimens show a significant amount of specimen size dependence which becomes larger as the material toughness decreases. This work suggests that it is premature to utilize the modified J-integral in assessing the flaw tolerance of structures

To investigate the effect of heat treatment on fracture toughness of welded joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hameed, A.; Pasha, R.A.; Shah, M.

2013-01-01

Annealing as a post weld heat treatment (PWHT), increases toughness in the welding joints of medium carbon steel in the same way as it increases toughness of the non-welded medium carbon steel. Measurement of increase in toughness through PWHT is focus of the present research work. Welded samples of commercially available steel AISI -1035 have been used for the proposed evaluation. The samples welded by two different techniques namely oxyacetylene gas welding and manual metal arc welding, passed through annealing process along with non-welded samples for comparison of increase in toughness. Toughness measured by impact tests revealed the improvement, which in the order of increasing effects is in gas welded, electric welded and non-welded samples. The aim of the present research was to measure the improvement in fracture toughness through post weld heat treatment (annealing). It has been shown that toughness increases as the structural flaws decrease. (author)

Summary of pre and post-processors for V-TOUGH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daveler, S.

1995-08-01

This report summaries the preprocessor utility, LMESH and the postprocessor utility, EXTOOL. These utilities support the input file generation and postprocessing analysis for V-TOUGH. LMESH is a mesh generator for V-TOUGH and generates a rectangular or cylindrical mesh in two dimensions. The format for the LMESH summary is a discussion of input options, followed by a sample problem and output from the sample problem. EXTOOL is an analysis tool that extracts, manipulates and plots V-TOUGH output. The format for the EXTOOL summary is a discussion of the development of EXTOOL and an overview of the programs capabilities

Fracture toughness of intermetallics using a micro-mechanical probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerberich, W.W.; Venkataraman, S.K.; Hoehn, J.W.; Marsh, P.G.

1993-01-01

A novel technique for determining the fracture toughness of brittle intermetallics is presented, wherein very small samples are used and multiple tests are easily conducted on a flat polished surface. The fracture toughness of single crystal NiAl and polycrystalline Al 3 Sc are evaluated with this continuous microscratch technique at scratch rates ranging from 0.5 to greater than 100 μm s - . For comparison, small compact tension samples of (100) NiAl are evaluated at applied stress intensity rates ranging from 1.5 to 5,400 MPa-m 1/2 s -1 . Good comparison of microscratch toughness to compact tension K Ic values are obtained in this study for (001) NiAl, 10.6 vs. 10.0 MPa-m 1/2 , from the literature for (001) , 13.5 vs. 12.2 MPa-m 1/2 , and from the literature for polycrystalline Al 3 Sc, 3.5 vs. 3.1 MPa-m 1/2 . Also, the fracture toughness of both NiAl and Al 3 Sc are found to be strongly dependent on strain rate at room temperature with toughness dropping by an order of magnitude over a decade increase in rate. Possible reasons and implications to improving low temperature brittleness are discussed

Fracture resistance curves and toughening mechanisms in polymer based dental composites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Souza, J.A.; Goutianos, Stergios; Skovgaard, M.

2011-01-01

The fracture resistance (R-curve behaviour) of two commercial dental composites (Filtek Z350® and Concept Advanced®) were studied using Double Cantilever Beam sandwich specimens loaded with pure bending moments to obtain stable crack growth. The experiments were conducted in an environmental...... significantly higher fracture resistance than the composite with the coarser microstructure. The fracture properties were related to the flexural strength of the dental composites. The method, thus, can provide useful insight into how the microstructure enhances toughness, which is necessary for the future...

A New Method for Evaluating the Indentation Toughness of Hardmetals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prem C. Jindal

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a new method of evaluating the indentation toughness of hardmetals using the length of Palmqvist cracks (C and Vickers indentation diagonal size (di. Indentation load “P” is divided into two parts: Pi for plastic indentation size and Pc for Palmqvist cracks. Pi depends upon the square of the indentation size (di2 and Pc depends upon (C3/2. The new method produces a very good linear relationship between the calculated indentation toughness values and the standard conventional linear elastic fracture mechanics toughness values with the same cemented carbide materials for a large number of standard Kennametal grades for both straight WC-Co carbide grades and grades containing cubic carbides. The new method also works on WC-Co hardmetal data selected from recently published literature. The technique compares the indentation toughness values of WC-Co materials before and after vacuum annealing at high temperature. The indentation toughness values of annealed carbide samples were lower than for un-annealed WC-Co hardmetals.

Fracture toughness and strength change of neutron-irradiated ceramic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dienst, W.; Zimmermann, H.

1994-01-01

In order to analyse the results of bending strength measurements on neutron-irradiated samples of Al 2 O 3 , AlN and SiC, fracture toughness measurements were additionally conducted. The neutron fluences concerned were mostly in the range of 0.6 to 3.2x10 26 n/m 2 at irradiation temperatures of 400 to 550 C. A fracture toughness decrease was generally observed for polycrystalline materials which, however, was considerably smaller than the reduction of the fracture strength. Exceptional increase of the fracture toughness seems typical for the effect of rather coarse irradiation defects. The irradiation-induced change of the fracture toughness of single crystal Al 2 O 3 appeared dependent on the crystallographic orientation; both reduced and increased fracture toughness after irradiation was observed. Recent results of neutron irradiation to about 2x10 25 n/m 2 at 100 C showed, that the strength decrease of various Al 2 O 3 grades sets in at (3-5)x10 24 n/m 2 and seems to be little dependent on the irradiation temperature. ((orig.))

New unified fracture toughness estimation scheme for structural integrity assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallin, K; Nevasmaa, P [VTT, Espoo (Finland); Bannister, A [Research and Development, British Steel plc., Swinden Technology Centre Rotherham (United Kingdom)

1999-12-31

At present, treatment of fracture toughness data varies depending on the type of data (K{sub IC}, J, CTOD) that are available for fracture mechanics analysis. This complicates structural integrity assessment and makes it difficult to apply any single, unified procedure. Within the Brite-Euram project `SINTAP` a fracture toughness estimation scheme has been developed for the unified treatment of data for use in structural integrity assessment. As a procedure, it can be applied to Charpy data, as well as to fracture toughness data, and is suitable for the treatment of data at both single and different temperatures. The data sets may contain results from both homogeneous and inhomogeneous material, making the procedure applicable also to welded joints. The procedure allows fracture toughness assessment with quantified probability and confidence levels. Irrespective of the type of the original data, one material-specific K{sub mat} value representing a conservative estimate of the mean fracture toughness is obtained (with its probability distribution). This information can then be applied to structural integrity assessment. (orig.) 4 refs.

New unified fracture toughness estimation scheme for structural integrity assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallin, K.; Nevasmaa, P. [VTT, Espoo (Finland); Bannister, A. [Research and Development, British Steel plc., Swinden Technology Centre Rotherham (United Kingdom)

1998-12-31

At present, treatment of fracture toughness data varies depending on the type of data (K{sub IC}, J, CTOD) that are available for fracture mechanics analysis. This complicates structural integrity assessment and makes it difficult to apply any single, unified procedure. Within the Brite-Euram project `SINTAP` a fracture toughness estimation scheme has been developed for the unified treatment of data for use in structural integrity assessment. As a procedure, it can be applied to Charpy data, as well as to fracture toughness data, and is suitable for the treatment of data at both single and different temperatures. The data sets may contain results from both homogeneous and inhomogeneous material, making the procedure applicable also to welded joints. The procedure allows fracture toughness assessment with quantified probability and confidence levels. Irrespective of the type of the original data, one material-specific K{sub mat} value representing a conservative estimate of the mean fracture toughness is obtained (with its probability distribution). This information can then be applied to structural integrity assessment. (orig.) 4 refs.

Application of a fracture toughness analysis for ferritic steel components of transport/storage casks using an adapted EUROCODE 3 approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sedlacek, G.; Dahl, W.; Langenberg, P.; Stranghoner, N.; Dreier, G.; Diersch, R.

1998-01-01

The choice of a structural steel material for a component of a transport and storage cask for RAM is strongly determined by the demand that the cask has to withstand a free fall from 9 m height without losing its integrity and leak tightness. In terms of fracture mechanics this means that instable crack growth must not occur even under the conditions of high amplitude dynamic loading at temperatures of -40 deg. C. In the course of harmonization of European design guidelines, the Eurocode 3 has been developed which contains a fracture mechanic based concept for the steel selection to avoid brittle fracture, called Annex C. This method combines fracture mechanics tools like the failure assessment diagram (CEGB-R6-procedure) with fracture mechanics life time assessment procedure for fatigue loaded structures. The required toughness in terms of the stress intensity factor K I is related to the T 27J Charpy transition temperature by means of a master curve and by a correlation between the fracture mechanics transition temperature T K100 and the Charpy transition temperature T 27J . Both relations have been proved to be valid for structural steels in the range of 235 to 960 MPa yield strength. Besides that a semi-probabilistic safety approach that takes account of the model inaccuracies by calibration of large scale tests has been applied to derive a safety element for a risk of failure of p f 10 -5 . The fracture mechanic concept of Eurocode 3 has been adopted to calculate critical failure lengths for lids made from ferritic steels of transport and storage casks. The safety requirements of Appendix VI of the IAEA Advisory Material have been taken into account. It has been shown that the adopted Eurocode 3, Annex C, method allows an economical calculation of critical failure length on a high level of safety. A failure probability of p f = 8 . 10 -7 is reached by applying lower bound estimates of fracture toughness and an additional additive safety factor ΔT a of 20 deg

Veins improve fracture toughness of insect wings.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan-Henning Dirks

Full Text Available During the lifetime of a flying insect, its wings are subjected to mechanical forces and deformations for millions of cycles. Defects in the micrometre thin membranes or veins may reduce the insect's flight performance. How do insects prevent crack related material failure in their wings and what role does the characteristic vein pattern play? Fracture toughness is a parameter, which characterises a material's resistance to crack propagation. Our results show that, compared to other body parts, the hind wing membrane of the migratory locust S. gregaria itself is not exceptionally tough (1.04±0.25 MPa√m. However, the cross veins increase the wing's toughness by 50% by acting as barriers to crack propagation. Using fracture mechanics, we show that the morphological spacing of most wing veins matches the critical crack length of the material (1132 µm. This finding directly demonstrates how the biomechanical properties and the morphology of locust wings are functionally correlated in locusts, providing a mechanically 'optimal' solution with high toughness and low weight. The vein pattern found in insect wings thus might inspire the design of more durable and lightweight artificial 'venous' wings for micro-air-vehicles. Using the vein spacing as indicator, our approach might also provide a basis to estimate the wing properties of endangered or extinct insect species.

Strong, tough and stiff bioinspired ceramics from brittle constituents

Science.gov (United States)

Bouville, Florian; Maire, Eric; Meille, Sylvain; van de Moortèle, Bertrand; Stevenson, Adam J.; Deville, Sylvain

2014-05-01

High strength and high toughness are usually mutually exclusive in engineering materials. In ceramics, improving toughness usually relies on the introduction of a metallic or polymeric ductile phase, but this decreases the material’s strength and stiffness as well as its high-temperature stability. Although natural materials that are both strong and tough rely on a combination of mechanisms operating at different length scales, the relevant structures have been extremely difficult to replicate. Here, we report a bioinspired approach based on widespread ceramic processing techniques for the fabrication of bulk ceramics without a ductile phase and with a unique combination of high strength (470 MPa), high toughness (22 MPa m1/2), and high stiffness (290 GPa). Because only mineral constituents are needed, these ceramics retain their mechanical properties at high temperatures (600 °C). Our bioinspired, material-independent approach should find uses in the design and processing of materials for structural, transportation and energy-related applications.

On the dynamic fracture toughness and crack tip strain behavior of nuclear pressure vessel steel: Application of electromagnetic force

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagawa, G.; Yoshimura, S.

1986-01-01

This paper is concerned with the application of the electromagnetic force to the determination of the dynamic fracture toughness of materials. Taken is an edge-cracked specimen which carries a transient electric current and is simply supported in a steady magnetic field. As a result of their interaction, the dynamic electromagnetic force occurs in the whole body of the specimen, which is then deformed to fracture in the opening mode of cracking. Using the electric potential and the J-R curve methods to determine the dynamic crack initiation point in the experiment, together with the finite element method to calculate the extended J-integral with the effects of the electromagnetic force and inertia, the dynamic fracture toughness values of nuclear pressure vessel steel A508 class 3 are evaluated over a wide temperature range from lower to upper shelves. The strain distribution near the crack tip in the dynamic process of fracture is also obtained by applying a computer picture processing. (orig.)

Biaxial loading and shallow-flaw effects on crack-tip constraint and fracture-toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennell, W.E.; Bass, B.R.; Bryson, J.W.; McAfee, W.J.; Theiss, T.J.; Rao, M.C.

1993-01-01

Uniaxial tests of single-edged notched bend (SENB) specimens with both deep- and shallow-flaws have shown elevated fracture-toughness for the shallow flaws. The elevation in fracture-toughness for shallow flaws has been shown to be the result of reduced constraint at the crack-tip. Biaxial loading has the potential to increase constraint at the crack-tip and thereby reduce some of the shallow-flaw, fracture-toughness elevation. Biaxial fracture-toughness tests have shown that the shallow-flaw, fracture-toughness elevation is reduced but not eliminated by biaxial loading. Dual-parameter, fracture-toughness correlations have been proposed to reflect the effect of crack-tip constraint on fracture-toughness. Test results from the uniaxial and biaxial tests were analyzed using the dual-parameter technology. Discrepancies between analysis results and cleavage initiation site data from fractographic examinations indicate that the analysis models are in need of further refinement. Addition of a precleavage, ductile-tearing element to the analysis model has the potential to resolve the noted discrepancies

Preliminary test results from the HSST shallow-crack fracture toughness program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theiss, T.J.; Robinson, G.C.; Rolfe, S.T.

1991-01-01

The Heavy Section Steel Technology (HSST) Program under sponsorship of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is investigating the influence of crack depth on the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steel. The ultimate goal of the investigation is the generation of a limited data base of elastic-plastic fracture toughness values appropriate for shallow flaws in a reactor pressure vessel and the application of this data to reactor vessel life assessments. It has been shown that shallow-flaws play a dominant role in the probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis of reactor pressure vessels during a pressurized-thermal-shock event. In addition, recent research has shown that the crack initiation toughness measured using specimens with shallow flaws is greater that the toughness determined with conventional, deeply notched specimens at temperatures within the transition region for non-nuclear steels. The influence of crack depth on the elastic-plastic fracture toughness for prototypic reactor material is being investigated. Preliminary results indicate a significant increase in the toughness associated with shallow-flaws which has the potential to significantly impact the conditional probability of vessel failure. 8 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Fracture toughness of titanium–cement interfaces: effects of fibers and loading angles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khandaker M

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Morshed Khandaker,1 Khatri Chhetri Utsaha,1 Tracy Morris21Department of Engineering and Physics, 2Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, USAAbstract: Ideal implant–cement or implant–bone interfaces are required for implant fixation and the filling of tissue defects created by disease. Micron- to nanosize osseointegrated features, such as surface roughness, fibers, porosity, and particles, have been fused with implants for improving the osseointegration of an implant with the host tissue in orthopedics and dentistry. The effects of fibers and loading angles on the interface fracture toughness of implant–cement specimens with and without fibers at the interface are not yet known. Such studies are important for the design of a long-lasting implant for orthopedic applications. The goal of this study was to improve the fracture toughness of an implant–cement interface by deposition of micron- to nanosize fibers on an implant surface. There were two objectives in the study: 1 to evaluate the influence of fibers on the fracture toughness of implant–cement interfaces with and without fibers at the interfaces, and 2 to evaluate the influence of loading angles on implant–cement interfaces with and without fibers at the interfaces. This study used titanium as the implant, poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA as cement, and polycaprolactone (PCL as fiber materials. An electrospinning unit was fabricated for the deposition of PCL unidirectional fibers on titanium (Ti plates. The Evex tensile test stage was used to determine the interface fracture toughness (KC of Ti–PMMA with and without PCL fibers at 0°, 45°, and 90° loading angles, referred to in this article as tension, mixed, and shear tests. The study did not find any significant interaction between fiber and loading angles (P>0.05, although there was a significant difference in the KC means of Ti–PMMA samples for the loading angles (P<0

The weak interfaces within tough natural composites: experiments on three types of nacre.

Science.gov (United States)

Khayer Dastjerdi, Ahmad; Rabiei, Reza; Barthelat, Francois

2013-03-01

Mineralization is a typical strategy used in natural materials to achieve high stiffness and hardness for structural functions such as skeletal support, protection or predation. High mineral content generally leads to brittleness, yet natural materials such as bone, mollusk shells or glass sponge achieve relatively high toughness considering the weakness of their constituents through intricate microstructures. In particular, nanometers thick organic interfaces organized in micro-architectures play a key role in providing toughness by various processes including crack deflection, crack bridging or energy dissipation. While these interfaces are critical in these materials, their composition, structure and mechanics is often poorly understood. In this work we focus on nacre, one of the most impressive hard biological materials in terms of toughness. We performed interfacial fracture tests on chevron notched nacre samples from three different species: red abalone, top shell and pearl oyster. We found that the intrinsic toughness of the interfaces is indeed found to be extremely low, in the order of the toughness of the mineral inclusions themselves. Such low toughness is required for the cracks to follow the interfaces, and to deflect and circumvent the mineral tablets. This result highlights the efficacy of toughening mechanisms in natural materials, turning low-toughness inclusions and interfaces into high-performance composites. We found that top shell nacre displayed the highest interfacial toughness, because of higher surface roughness and a more resilient organic material, and also through extrinsic toughening mechanisms including crack deflection, crack bridging and process zone. In the context of biomimetics, the main implication of this finding is that the interface in nacre-like composite does not need to be tough; the extensibility or ductility of the interfaces may be more important than their strength and toughness to produce toughness at the macroscale

Fracture toughness of irradiated candidate materials for ITER first wall/blanket structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.; Pawel, J.E.; Grossbeck, M.L.; Rowcliffe, A.F.; Shiba, Kiyoyuki

1994-01-01

Disk compact specimens of candidate materials for first wall/blanket structures in ITER have been irradiated to damage levels of about 3 dpa at nominal irradiation temperatures of either 90 or 250 degrees C. These specimens have been tested over a temperature range from 20 to 250 degrees C to determine J-integral values and tearing moduli. The results show that irradiation at these temperatures reduces the fracture toughness of austenitic stainless steels, but the toughness remains quite high. The toughness decreases as the test temperature increases. Irradiation at 250 degrees C is more damaging than at 90 degrees C, causing larger decreases in the fracture toughness. Ferritic-martensitic steels are embrittled by the irradiation, and show the lowest toughness at room temperature

Developing Mental Toughness: Lessons from Paralympians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander J. Powell

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Mental toughness (MT is a key psychological variable related to perseverance and success in performance domains. MT and its development has been explored across a range of contexts and across different sports, but no research to date has examined MT in relation to Paralympic athletes. We sought to understand the lived-experiences of mentally tough Paralympians, aiming to conceptualize MT in a Paralympic context and investigate its development. Ten Paralympic athletes were interviewed using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The verbatim transcripts of the interviews served as the data for an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three broad themes and several subthemes emerged in conceptualizing Paralympian MT: characteristics (determination, defiance, pragmatic, optimistic, resilient, self-belief and independence and autonomy, cognitions (normalization, sense of escape, non-acceptance of constraints, influence perception and connection and cognitive strategies (rational thinking, goal setting, pain management and control. In understanding MT development, two broad themes and several subthemes emerged: formative experiences (challenge, classification, setbacks, critical incident, trauma and recovery, sustained commitment, development of mind-set and perspective during challenge, failure, and acceptance, and support and coping resources (social support and significant others, external shaping, social support, overcoming problems, social comparison and reflective practice. The findings suggest that Paralympians benefited from exposure to highly demanding situations in a supportive environment and this helped develop mentally tough characteristics and behaviors and individualized cognitive coping strategies. Our findings highlight the association between the adaptive development of personal characteristics by overcoming physical and mental setbacks over a sustained time period. Overall, the findings suggest that to develop mentally tough

Developing Mental Toughness: Lessons from Paralympians.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Alexander J; Myers, Tony D

2017-01-01

Mental toughness (MT) is a key psychological variable related to perseverance and success in performance domains. MT and its development has been explored across a range of contexts and across different sports, but no research to date has examined MT in relation to Paralympic athletes. We sought to understand the lived-experiences of mentally tough Paralympians, aiming to conceptualize MT in a Paralympic context and investigate its development. Ten Paralympic athletes were interviewed using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The verbatim transcripts of the interviews served as the data for an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three broad themes and several subthemes emerged in conceptualizing Paralympian MT: characteristics (determination, defiance, pragmatic, optimistic, resilient, self-belief and independence and autonomy), cognitions (normalization, sense of escape, non-acceptance of constraints, influence perception and connection) and cognitive strategies (rational thinking, goal setting, pain management and control). In understanding MT development, two broad themes and several subthemes emerged: formative experiences (challenge, classification, setbacks, critical incident, trauma and recovery, sustained commitment, development of mind-set and perspective during challenge, failure, and acceptance), and support and coping resources (social support and significant others, external shaping, social support, overcoming problems, social comparison and reflective practice). The findings suggest that Paralympians benefited from exposure to highly demanding situations in a supportive environment and this helped develop mentally tough characteristics and behaviors and individualized cognitive coping strategies. Our findings highlight the association between the adaptive development of personal characteristics by overcoming physical and mental setbacks over a sustained time period. Overall, the findings suggest that to develop mentally tough characteristics

Pie technique of LWR fuel cladding fracture toughness test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, Shinya; Usami, Koji; Nakata, Masahito; Fukuda, Takuji; Numata, Masami; Kizaki, Minoru; Nishino, Yasuharu

2006-01-01

Remote-handling techniques were developed by cooperative research between the Department of Hot Laboratories in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) and the Nuclear Fuel Industries Ltd. (NFI) for evaluating the fracture toughness on irradiated LWR fuel cladding. The developed techniques, sample machining by using the electrical discharge machine (EDM), pre-cracking by fatigue tester, sample assembling to the compact tension (CT) shaped test fixture gave a satisfied result for a fracture toughness test developed by NFL. And post-irradiation examination (PIE) using the remote-handling techniques were carried out to evaluate the fracture toughness on BWR spent fuel cladding in the Waste Safety Testing Facility (WASTEF). (author)

Effect of specimen size on the fracture toughness of Type 304 stainless steel. Interim report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, W.J.

1982-02-01

The effect of specimen size on the elastic-plastic fracture toughness behavior of Type 304 stainless steel was characterized by the multiple-specimen J-R curve technique at 427 0 C. Fracture tests were performed on five compact specimen sizes: 2.5T (thickness = 63.5 mm), 2.5T (thickness = 14.7 mm), 1T (thickness = 25.4 mm), 1T (thickness = 14.7 mm), and 0.577 (thickness = 14.7 mm). In comparison with the 63.5-mm thick 2.5T specimen results, the smaller specimens exhibited higher J/sub Ic values and lower R-curve slopes (dJ/da). However, the differences in J/sub Ic/ and dJ/da were not statistically significant for the 2.5T and 1T specimens, which suggests that size effects for 1T and larger specimens are relatively small or nonexistant. On the other hand, there was a statistical difference between the 0.577T and 2.5T J/sub Ic/ values

Application of ISRM testing methods to fracture toughness testing of graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashida, T.; Fukasawa, T.; Takahashi, H.; Ishiyama, S.; Oku, T.

1987-01-01

Fracture toughness measurements of nuclear grade graphites, IG11 and PGX, were made by means of AE technique. Tests were conducted on edge-notched round bend bar, edge-notched short bar and round compact tension specimens. These round-shaped specimens used in this study have been proposed for standard fracture toughness tests of rock as a draft of testing standard of International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM). Taking the observed nonlinear deformation behavior into account, J-integral approach was utilized to determine the fracture toughness of the graphites. It is shown that the critical J integral determined by AE technique, J iAE , is independent of specimen geometry. Based on this experimental results, the fracture toughness K IC of the graphites was determined from the J iAE values. K IC value of IG11 was 1.04 MPa√m, and 0.77 MPa√m for PGX respectively. Furthermore, the specimen size effect of the fracture toughness determined by the J-integral/AE method is discussed. (author)

A toughness and defect size assessment of welded stainless steel components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chipperfield, C.G.

1978-01-01

The results of an investigation of the effect of test temperature, stress relieving temperature and weld profile on the initiation toughness of 316 type steels are described. The data indicate that little improvement in weld metal toughness is obtained by stress relieving at temperatures of up to 850 0 C and the magnitude of the toughness is significantly below that of wrought 316 steel. The observed trends in toughness with test temperature or stress relieving temperature have been explained in terms of the effect of these variables on yield strength and work hardening rate. A defect size assessment of a particular component has been made for stress relieved and non-stress relieved conditions. Simple addition of residual to applied stress values indicated that the defect size is in many cases essentially controlled by the magnitude of the residual stress. The possible conservatism of this assessment and the use of initiation toughness values are discussed. (author)

Reference Centile Curves for Body Fat Percentage, Fat-free Mass, Muscle Mass and Bone Mass Measured by Bioelectrical Impedance in Asian Indian Children and Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiplonkar, Shashi; Kajale, Neha; Ekbote, Veena; Mandlik, Rubina; Parthasarathy, Lavanya; Borade, Ashwin; Patel, Pinal; Patel, Prerna; Khadilkar, Vaman; Khadilkar, Anuradha

2017-12-15

To create gender-specific percentile curves for percent body fat (%BF) by Bio electrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) for screening adiposity and risk of hypertension in Indian children and generate reference curves for percent fat-free mass (%FFM), muscle mass (%LM) and bone mineral content (BMC) by using bioelectrical impedance. Secondary analysis of data from previous multicenter cross-sectional studies. Private schools from five regions of India. A random sample of 3850 healthy school children (2067 boys) (5-17 yr) from private schools in five major Indian cities. Anthropometry, blood pressure (BP) and body composition were measured by bioelectrical impedance. Reference curves were generated by the LMS method. %BF, %FFM, %LM, BMC and BP. Median %BF increased by 6% from 5 to 13 years of age and declined (around 2%) up to 17 years in boys. In girls, %BF increased by 8% from 5 to 14 years and thereafter declined by 3%. Based upon the risk of hypertension, the new cut-offs of 75th and 85th percentile of %BF were proposed for detecting over fatness and excess fatness in children. Median %FFM was 90% at 5 yrs and decreased till 12 years, and then showed a slight increase to 84% at 17 yrs in boys. In girls, it was 86% at 5 yrs and decreased till 15 yrs, and plateaued at 71.8% at 17 yrs. Reference curves for percent body fat for Indian children would be useful to screen children for health risk in clinical set up.

Coupling of the reservoir simulator TOUGH and the wellbore simulator WFSA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadgu, T.; Zimmerman, R.W.; Bodvarsson [Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1995-03-01

The reservoir simulator TOUGH and the wellbore simulator WFSA have been coupled, so as to allow simultaneous modeling of the flow of geothermal brine in the reservoir as well as in the wellbore. A new module, COUPLE, allows WFSA to be called as a subroutine by TOUGH. The mass flowrate computed by WFSA now serves as a source/sink term for the TOUGH wellblocks. Sample problems are given to illustrate the use of the coupled codes. One of these problems compares the results of the new simulation method to those obtained using the deliverability option in TOUGH. The coupled computing procedure is shown to simulate more accurately the behavior of a geothermal reservoir under exploitation.

Relationship between mental toughness, stress appraisal, and innovation performance of R&D personnel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Jin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Four hundred and two R&D personnel were surveyed through questionnaires to study the relationship between mental toughness, stress appraisal (including experience of stress and stress control, and innovation performance. The findings reveal a significant negative correlation between mental toughness and stress experience and a significant positive correlation between mental toughness and both stress control and innovation performance. Furthermore, although the experience of stress was negatively correlated with innovation performance, stress control had the opposite effect. Experience of stress and stress control were the mediating variables for mental toughness and innovation performance, respectively. There was also a significant interaction effect between stress appraisal and mental toughness.

Bioinspired, Graphene/Al2O3 Doubly Reinforced Aluminum Composites with High Strength and Toughness.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yunya; Li, Xiaodong

2017-11-08

Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, has served as a blueprint for engineering stronger and tougher bioinspired materials. Nature organizes a brick-and-mortar-like architecture in nacre, with hard bricks of aragonite sandwiched with soft biopolymer layers. However, cloning nacre's entire reinforcing mechanisms in engineered materials remains a challenge. In this study, we employed hybrid graphene/Al 2 O 3 platelets with surface nanointerlocks as hard bricks for primary load bearer and mechanical interlocking, along with aluminum laminates as soft mortar for load distribution and energy dissipation, to replicate nacre's architecture and reinforcing effects in aluminum composites. Compared with aluminum, the bioinspired, graphene/Al 2 O 3 doubly reinforced aluminum composite demonstrated an exceptional, joint improvement in hardness (210%), strength (223%), stiffness (78%), and toughness (30%), which are even superior over nacre. This design strategy and model material system should guide the synthesis of bioinspired materials to achieve exceptionally high strength and toughness.

The origins of mental toughness – prosocial behavior and low internalizing and externalizing problems at age 5 predict higher mental toughness scores at age 14

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dena Sadeghi Bahmani

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The concept of mental toughness has gained increasing importance among groups other than elite athletes by virtue of its psychological importance and explanatory power for a broad range of health-related behaviors. However, no study has focused so far on the psychological origins of mental toughness. Therefore, the aims of the present study were: to explore, to what extent the psychological profiles of preschoolers aged five were associated with both 1 mental toughness scores and 2 sleep disturbances at age 14, and 3 to explore possible gender differences.Method: Nine years after their first assessment at age five (preschoolers, a total of 77 adolescents (mean age: 14.35 years; SD = 1.22; 42% females took part in this follow-up study. At baseline, both parents and teachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ, covering internalizing and externalizing problems, hyperactivity, negative peer relationships, and prosocial behavior. At follow-up, participants completed a booklet of questionnaires covering socio-demographic data, mental toughness, and sleep disturbances.Results: Higher prosocial behavior, lower negative peer relationships, and lower internalizing and externalizing problems at age five, as rated by parents and teachers, were associated with self-reported higher mental toughness and lower sleep disturbances at age 14. At age 14, and relative to males, females had lower MT scores and reported more sleep disturbances.Results: Higher prosocial behavior, lower negative peer relationships, and lower internalizing and externalizing problems at age five, as rated by parents and teachers, predicted self-reported higher mental toughness and lower sleep disturbances at age 14. At age 14, and relative to males, females had lower MT scores and reported more sleep disturbance.Conclusions: The pattern of results suggests that mental toughness traits during adolescence may have their origins in the pre-school years.

MENTAL TOUGHNESS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON KFUPM UNIVERSITY TEAMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MOHAMMED HAMDAN

2012-06-01

Full Text Available AbstractMental toughness is an attribute that is often associated with successful performance in competitions. Mental toughness and its importance in competitive Sports have been documented in literature (A.S. Goldberg, 1998; K. Hodge, 1994; J. Tunney, 1987; R.M. Williams, 1988. In sports, many things are left to chance as, sports are predictably unpredictable. Sports persons who enter the competitive arena soon realize that there is more to competition than simply learning the physical skills. It is one thing to possess the physical and mental skills and yet another to be able to use them when needed. Every athletic contest is a contest of control of the delicate mind-body connection, which is dramatically clear within the competitive arena (J.E. Loehr, 1982.Purpose: 1. To compare the mental toughness between King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM Judo and Karate teams; 2. To compare the mental toughness between KFUPM Swimming and Track & Field teams. Methods A total of 26 players who are part of KFUPM Judo, Karate , Swimming and Track & Field University teams (2011-12 with age ranging from 18-20 years were selected as subjects for study and were divided into four groups namely; Judo (N= 6, Karate (N= 5, Swimming (N= 8 and Track & Field (N= 7. Mental toughness questionnaire of Tiwari and Sharma (2006 was administered to the subjects. The questionnaire consists of 48 statements and has six sub- scales namely: Self Confidence, Attention Control, Motivation, Goal Setting, Visual Imagery and Attitude Control. T- Test was applied to compare means between the groups. Statistical significance was set at 0.05 levels. Results T- Test failed to reveal significant difference on mental toughness (MT between KFUPM Judo and Karate teams (p = .7 > .05. T-Test also failed to reveal significant difference on MT between KFUPM Swimming and Track & Field teams (p = .122 > .05. T-Test revealed significant difference on Self Confidence between KFUPM

Fracture toughness evaluation of select advanced replacement alloys for LWR core internals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Lizhen [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Chen, Xiang [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-08-01

Life extension of the existing nuclear reactors imposes irradiation of high fluences to structural materials, resulting in significant challenges to the traditional reactor materials such as type 304 and 316 stainless steels. Advanced alloys with superior radiation resistance will increase safety margins, design flexibility, and economics for not only the life extension of the existing fleet but also new builds with advanced reactor designs. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) teamed up with Department of Energy (DOE) to initiate the Advanced Radiation Resistant Materials (ARRM) program, aiming to develop and test degradation resistant alloys from current commercial alloy specifications by 2021 to a new advanced alloy with superior degradation resistance in light water reactor (LWR)-relevant environments by 2024. Fracture toughness is one of the key engineering properties required for core internal materials. Together with other properties, which are being examined such as high-temperature steam oxidation resistance, radiation hardening, and irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking resistance, the alloys will be down-selected for neutron irradiation study and comprehensive post-irradiation examinations. According to the candidate alloys selected under the ARRM program, ductile fracture toughness of eight alloys was evaluated at room temperature and the LWR-relevant temperatures. The tested alloys include two ferritic alloys (Grade 92 and an oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloy 14YWT), two austenitic stainless steels (316L and 310), four Ni-base superalloys (718A, 725, 690, and X750). Alloy 316L and X750 are included as reference alloys for low- and high-strength alloys, respectively. Compact tension specimens in 0.25T and 0.2T were machined from the alloys in the T-L and R-L orientations according to the product forms of the alloys. This report summarizes the final results of the specimens tested and analyzed per ASTM Standard E1820. Unlike the

Solving iTOUGH2 simulation and optimization problems using the PEST protocol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finsterle, S.A.; Zhang, Y.

2011-02-01

The PEST protocol has been implemented into the iTOUGH2 code, allowing the user to link any simulation program (with ASCII-based inputs and outputs) to iTOUGH2's sensitivity analysis, inverse modeling, and uncertainty quantification capabilities. These application models can be pre- or post-processors of the TOUGH2 non-isothermal multiphase flow and transport simulator, or programs that are unrelated to the TOUGH suite of codes. PEST-style template and instruction files are used, respectively, to pass input parameters updated by the iTOUGH2 optimization routines to the model, and to retrieve the model-calculated values that correspond to observable variables. We summarize the iTOUGH2 capabilities and demonstrate the flexibility added by the PEST protocol for the solution of a variety of simulation-optimization problems. In particular, the combination of loosely coupled and tightly integrated simulation and optimization routines provides both the flexibility and control needed to solve challenging inversion problems for the analysis of multiphase subsurface flow and transport systems.

Toughness of membranes applied in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiefer, J; Brack, H P; Scherer, G G [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1999-08-01

Since several years we apply the radiation-grafting technique to prepare polymeric membranes for application in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Our investigations presented here focus on changes in toughness of these materials after the various synthesis steps and the importance of membrane toughness for their application in PEFCs. (author) 2 figs., 4 refs.

SCK-CEN participation to the IAEA CRP-8 - Area topic no. 2: ''Application of the master curve for dynamic testing''. Activity 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucon, E.

2005-11-01

The latest IAEA Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP-8) focuses on the application of the Master Curve approach to monitor fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessels in nuclear power power plants. Three main work areas have been identified: (a) constraint and geometry effects on Master Curve To values; (b) loading rate effects up to impact conditions; (c) potential changes of Master Curve shape for highly embrittled materials. After the kick-off meeting in Vienna in October 2004, the first Research Coordination Meeting was held in May 2005, hosted by AEKI Budapest. The present document focuses on the participation and contribution of SCK-CEN to Topic Area no. 2 (Loading rate effects on Master Curve - Impact Loading), for which E. Lucon acts as co-task leader. A Round-Robin exercise is planned for early 2006, consisting in 10 tests per participant on precracked Charpy-V specimen of JRQ, tested dynamically using an instrumented pendulum; the results will be analysed using the Master Curve procedure (ASTM E1921-05) and compared to data obtained at other loading rates (quasi-static and/or dynamic). Guidelines and detailed specifications have been produced and circulated after the meeting in Budapest. SCK-CEN has also produced data reporting sheets in EXCEL97 form, which will be used for reporting all fracture toughness test results (at quasi-static, dynamic or impact loading rates) performed in the framework of the CRP-8. (author)

Tough Choices or Tough Times: The Report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce. Revised and Expanded Edition

Science.gov (United States)

Jossey-Bass, An Imprint of Wiley, 2008

2008-01-01

"Tough Choices or Tough Times," the report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, shows how the dynamics of the global economy will lead to a steady decline in the American standard of living if this country does not undertake the first thorough overhaul of its education system in a century. This new revised and expanded…

The toughness of split graphs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Woeginger, G.J.

1998-01-01

In this short note we argue that the toughness of split graphs can be computed in polynomial time. This solves an open problem from a recent paper by Kratsch et al. (Discrete Math. 150 (1996) 231–245).

Stiff and tough: a comparative study on the tensile properties of shark skin.

Science.gov (United States)

Creager, Shelby B; Porter, Marianne E

2018-02-01

In sharks, the skin is a biological composite with mineralized denticles embedded within a collagenous matrix. Swimming performance is enhanced by the dermal denticles on the skin, which have drag reducing properties produced by regional morphological variations and changes in density along the body. We used mechanical testing to quantify the effect of embedded mineralized denticles on the quasi-static tensile properties of shark skin to failure in four coastal species. We investigated regional differences in denticle density and skin properties by dissecting skin from the underlying fascia and muscle at 10 anatomical landmarks. Hourglass-shaped skin samples were extracted in the cranial to caudal orientation. Denticle density was quantified and varied significantly among both regions and species. We observed the greatest denticle densities in the cranial region of the body for the bonnethead, scalloped hammerhead, and bull sharks. Skin samples were then tested in tension until failure, stress strain curves were generated, and mechanical properties calculated. We found significant species and region effects for all three tensile mechanical properties. We report the greatest ultimate tensile strength, stiffness, and toughness near the cranial and lateral regions of the body for all 4 of the coastal species. We also report that denticle density increases with skin stiffness but decreases with toughness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Fractographic and microstructural aspects of fracture toughness testing in irradiated 304 stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cullen, W.H.; Hiser, A.L.; Hawthorne, J.R.; Abramczyk, G.A.; Caskey, G.R.

1987-01-01

Fracture toughness and Charpy impact test results on 304 stainless steel baseplate, weld and heat-affected zone (HAZ) tested at 25 0 C and 125 0 C are correlated with the microstructural and fractographic features observed in these materials. Specimens were collected from several sections of 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) wall thickness piping removed from a process system, and were characterized by different material chemistries and thermomechanical histories. As a result, mechanical properties vary over a considerable range from one pipe section to another. The presence of delta ferrite in some of the samples caused significant degradations in the toughness properties for certain crack orientations. Decreases in Charpy impact energies occur in the same material for different crack orientations. Materials irradiated showed 40% decreases in Charpy impact energy, but little change in fracture morphology. An increase in the test temperature resulted in an expected increase in Charpy energies for all materials. Fractographic features did not change appreciably with respect to the 100 0 C increase in test temperature. In unirradiated specimens, a test temperature increase caused lower J/sub Ic/ and J-R curve values with tearing modules values increased. The latter is due to the large decreases in tensile strength with increasing test temperature. The weld metals tend to have the highest tearing resistance, while the HAZ's tend to have the lowest. 30 figs., 3 tabs

Fracture Toughness of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Metal- and Ceramic-Matrix Composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Y.L.; Liu, B.; Hwang, K.C.; Chen, Y.L.; Huang, Y.

2011-01-01

Hierarchical analysis of the fracture toughness enhancement of carbon nanotube- (CNT-) reinforced hard matrix composites is carried out on the basis of shear-lag theory and fracture mechanics. It is found that stronger CNT/matrix interfaces cannot definitely lead to the better fracture toughness of these composites, and the optimal interfacial chemical bond density is that making the failure mode just in the transition from CNT pull-out to CNT break. For hard matrix composites, the fracture toughness of composites with weak interfaces can be improved effectively by increasing the CNT length. However, for soft matrix composite, the fracture toughness improvement due to the reinforcing CNTs quickly becomes saturated with an increase in CNT length. The proposed theoretical model is also applicable to short fiber-reinforced composites.

Fracture toughness of Charpy-size compound specimens and its application in engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, X.P.; Shi, Y.W.

1994-01-01

The use of a pre-cracked Charpy-size specimen with a side-groove to evaluate the fracture toughness of materials has been researched and considered. This method not only satisfies the demand for small-size specimens in surveillance tests of fracture toughness but also avoids using complicated physical methods to monitor the initial conditions of crack propagation. For most materials this method has solved the problem in which the small-size specimen did not satisfy the valid conditions of a fracture toughness measurement. In order to obtain more information from neutron-irradiated sample specimens and raise the reliability of fracture toughness surveillance tests, it has been considered more important to repeatedly exploit the broken Charpy-size specimen tested in the surveillance test, and to make it renewable. In this work, on the renewing design and utilization of Charpy-size specimens, nine data on fracture toughness can be obtained from one pre-cracked side-grooved Charpy-size specimen, while at present usually only one to three data on fracture toughness can be obtained from one Charpy-size specimen. Thus, it is found that the new method would improve the reliability of fracture toughness surveillance testing and evaluation. In addition, some factors that affect the optimum design of pre-cracked deep side-groove Charpy-size compound specimens have also been discussed. (author)

The elevated temperature and thermal shock fracture toughnesses of nuclear pressure vessel steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirano, Kazumi; Kobayashi, Hideo; Nakazawa, Hajime; Nara, Atsushi.

1979-01-01

Thermal shock experiments were conducted on nuclear pressure vessel steel A533 Grade B Class 1. Elastic-plastic fracture toughness tests were carried out within the same high temperature range of the thermal shock experiment and the relation between stretched zone width, SZW and J-integral was clarified. An elastic-plastic thermal shock fracture toughness value. J sub(tsc) was evaluated from a critical value of stretched zone width, SZW sub(tsc) at the initiation of thermal shock fracture by using the relation between SZW and J. The J sub(tsc) value was compared with elastic-plastic fracture toughness values, J sub( ic), and the difference between the J sub(tsc) and J sub( ic) values was discussed. The results obtained are summarized as follows; (1) The relation between SZW and J before the initiation of stable crack growth in fracture toughness test at a high temperature can be expressed by the following equation regardless of test temperature, SZW = 95(J/E), where E is Young's modulus. (2) Elevated temperature fracture toughness values ranging from room temperature to 400 0 C are nearly constant regardless of test temperature. It is confirmed that upper shelf fracture toughness exists. (3) Thermal shock fracture toughness is smaller than elevated temperature fracture toughness within the same high temperature range of thermal shock experiment. (author)

Tough Blends of Polylactide and Castor Oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robertson, Megan L.; Paxton, Jessica M.; Hillmyer, Marc A. (UMM)

2012-10-10

Poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) is a renewable resource polymer derived from plant sugars with several commercial applications. Broader implementation of the material is limited due to its inherent brittleness. We show that the addition of 5 wt % castor oil to PLLA significantly enhances the overall tensile toughness with minimal reductions in the modulus and no plasticization of the PLLA matrix. In addition, we used poly(ricinoleic acid)-PLLA diblock copolymers, synthesized entirely from renewable resources, as compatibilizers for the PLLA/castor oil blends. Ricinoleic acid, the majority fatty acid comprising castor oil, was polymerized through a lipase-catalyzed condensation reaction. The resulting polymers contained a hydroxyl end-group that was subsequently used to initiate the ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide. The binary PLLA/castor oil blend exhibited a tensile toughness seven times greater than neat PLLA. The addition of block copolymer allowed for control over the morphology of the blends, and even further improvement in the tensile toughness was realized - an order of magnitude larger than that of neat PLLA.

Tough blends of polylactide and castor oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Megan L; Paxton, Jessica M; Hillmyer, Marc A

2011-09-01

Poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) is a renewable resource polymer derived from plant sugars with several commercial applications. Broader implementation of the material is limited due to its inherent brittleness. We show that the addition of 5 wt % castor oil to PLLA significantly enhances the overall tensile toughness with minimal reductions in the modulus and no plasticization of the PLLA matrix. In addition, we used poly(ricinoleic acid)-PLLA diblock copolymers, synthesized entirely from renewable resources, as compatibilizers for the PLLA/castor oil blends. Ricinoleic acid, the majority fatty acid comprising castor oil, was polymerized through a lipase-catalyzed condensation reaction. The resulting polymers contained a hydroxyl end-group that was subsequently used to initiate the ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide. The binary PLLA/castor oil blend exhibited a tensile toughness seven times greater than neat PLLA. The addition of block copolymer allowed for control over the morphology of the blends, and even further improvement in the tensile toughness was realized-an order of magnitude larger than that of neat PLLA.

The effect of specimen and flaw dimensions on fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nevalainen, M.J.

1997-06-01

The effect of the specimen size and geometry on fracture toughness has been investigated both by experimental tests and computational analyses. The methods for constraint description, namely T-stress, Q-parameter and Small-Scale Yielding Correction (SSYC) have been compared and applied for various geometries. A statistical treatment for the specimen thickness effect on cleavage fracture toughness has been investigated. Elliptical surface cracks were compared with straight-thickness cracks and a method for crack shape correction was presented. Based on the results, the differences in apparent fracture toughness values obtained from various specimen configurations can be better understood and taken into account

Long-term toughness of photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate networks in aqueous environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kathryn E; Trusty, Phillip; Wan, Beatrice; Gall, Ken

2011-02-01

Photopolymerizable (meth)acrylate networks are potentially advantageous biomaterials due to their ability to be formed in situ, their fast synthesis rates and their tailorable material properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate how immersion time in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) affects the toughness of photopolymerizable methyl acrylate (MA)-co-methyl methacrylate-co-poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate networks containing various concentrations of MA. Stress-strain behavior was determined by performing tensile strain to failure testing after soaking in PBS for different periods (1 day up to 9 months). In tandem, differential scanning calorimetry and PBS content measurements were undertaken at each time point in order to determine whether time-dependent changes in toughness were related to changes in T(g) or PBS absorption. The effect of immersion time on network toughness was shown to be dependent upon composition in a manner related to the viscoelastic state of the polymer upon initial immersion in PBS. The results demonstrate that tough acrylate-based materials may not maintain their toughness after several months in PBS. In addition, decreasing the PBS content by changing the network hydrophobicity resulted in better toughness maintenance after 9 months. The results provide a possible means to toughen various amorphous acrylate-based implant materials that are being explored for load-bearing biomedical applications, beyond the systems considered in this work. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Fracture toughness behavior of irradiated stainless steel in PWR systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, H.; Fyfitch, S. [AREVA NP Inc., Lynchburg, Pennsylvania (United States); Tang, H.T. [Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, California (United States)

2007-07-01

Data from available research programs were collected and evaluated by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Materials Reliability Program (MRP) to determine the relationship between fracture toughness and neutron fluence for conditions representative of pressurized water reactor (PWR) conditions. It is shown that the reduction of fracture toughness with increasing neutron dose in both boiling water reactors (BWRs) and PWRs is consistent with that observed in fast reactors. The lower bound fracture toughness observed for irradiated stainless steels in PWRs is 38 MPa{radical}m (34.6 ksi{radical}in) at neutron exposures greater than 6.7 X 10{sup 21} n/cm{sup 2} (E > 1.0 MeV) or approximately 10 dpa. For such levels of fracture toughness, it is recommended that linear-elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) analyses be considered for design and operational analyses. The results from this study can be used by the nuclear industry to assess the effects of irradiation on stainless steels in PWR systems. (author)

On the use of J-integral and modified J-integral as measures of elastic-plastic fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, D.A.; Hays, R.A.; Hackett, E.M.; Joyce, J.A.

1988-01-01

J-R Curve tests were conducted on 1/2T, 1T and 2T compact specimens of materials having J IC values ranging from 150 in-1b/sq in to over 2600 in-lb/sq in. These materials were chosen such that some would exceed the maximum crack length criterion of ASTM E1152-87 prior to reaching the maximum J criterion (3-Ni steel, 5000 series A1) and some would exceed the maximum J criterion first (A533B, A710). The elastic-plastic fracture behavior of these materials was examined using both the deformation theory J-integral (J D ) and the modified J-integral (J M ). The J-R curve testing was performed to very large values of crack opening displacement (COD) where the crack growth was typically 75% of the original remaining ligament. The results of this work suggest that the J D -R curves exhibit no specimen size dependence to crack extensions far in excess of the E1152 allowables. The J M -R curves calculated for the same specimens show a significant amount of specimen size dependence which becomes larger as the material toughness decreases. This work suggests that it is premature to utilize the modified J-integral in assessing the flaw tolerance of structures. (author)

Fracture Toughness of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Metal- and Ceramic-Matrix Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. L. Chen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Hierarchical analysis of the fracture toughness enhancement of carbon nanotube- (CNT- reinforced hard matrix composites is carried out on the basis of shear-lag theory and facture mechanics. It is found that stronger CNT/matrix interfaces cannot definitely lead to the better fracture toughness of these composites, and the optimal interfacial chemical bond density is that making the failure mode just in the transition from CNT pull-out to CNT break. For hard matrix composites, the fracture toughness of composites with weak interfaces can be improved effectively by increasing the CNT length. However, for soft matrix composite, the fracture toughness improvement due to the reinforcing CNTs quickly becomes saturated with an increase in CNT length. The proposed theoretical model is also applicable to short fiber-reinforced composites.

Tough-coated hard powders for hardmetals of novel properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, R.E.; Smid, I.; Kladler, G.; Korb, G.; Sherman, A.; Ettmayer, P.

2001-01-01

The properties and performance of conventional materials and composites are constrained by solubility limits, diffusion coefficients, and compatibility of physical and chemical constituent properties in their phase equilibria. To escape these limits, ingenious ways of combining strength, toughness, and wear resistance by way of various coatings and laminations have been devised. These coated tools are systematically discarded after only about 10 % of their wear tolerance has been used. Tough-coated hard powders (TCHP), patented by EnDurAloy (USA), are hard refractory particles CVD coated with nanolayers of WC and Co. Consolidation of TCHP creates an engineered homogeneous cellular structure whose interconnected tough WC-Co 'shells' each contain a wear-resistant core (e.g., TiN). In TCHP's, the coating is throughout the tool, not only on the surface, combining the strength, heat resistance, and toughness of cemented carbides with the chemical and abrasion wear resistance of harder materials. As wear progresses, new wear-resistant material continuously replaces the working surfaces and edges of the tool until its geometry reaches its maximum limits. TCHP tools are then reusable many times. Specific coating and consolidation processes, characterization of compacts, and test comparisons with conventional materials are discussed. (author)

Estimation of fracture toughness of Zr 2.5% Nb pressure tube of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor using cyclic ball indentation technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chatterjee, S., E-mail: subrata@barc.gov.in; Panwar, Sanjay; Madhusoodanan, K.; Rama Rao, A.

2016-08-15

Measurement System (IProMS) based on cyclic ball indentation technique has been designed and developed indigenously. The remotely operable system is capable to carry out indentation trials on the inside surface of the pressure tube and estimates the important mechanical properties like yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, hardness etc. It is known that fracture toughness is one of the important life limiting parameters of the pressure tube. Effort has also been made to estimate the fracture toughness of the pressure tube using the data from ball indentation trials. Curved compact tension (CCT) specimens have been prepared from Zr 2.5 wt% Nb pressure tube spool pieces having different mechanical properties. Fracture toughness of these specimens was measured by conventional test techniques which were later used as reference data for bench marking. This paper highlights the comparison between tensile properties measured from conventional tests and IProMS trials and relates the fracture toughness parameters measured from conventional tests with the IProMS estimated fracture properties. A methodology has been developed to relate the IProMS estimated properties like strength coefficient, indentation energy to fracture etc. with the fracture properties estimated through conventional tests.

Advanced Vadose Zone Simulations Using TOUGH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finsterle, S.; Doughty, C.; Kowalsky, M.B.; Moridis, G.J.; Pan,L.; Xu, T.; Zhang, Y.; Pruess, K.

2007-02-01

The vadose zone can be characterized as a complex subsurfacesystem in which intricate physical and biogeochemical processes occur inresponse to a variety of natural forcings and human activities. Thismakes it difficult to describe, understand, and predict the behavior ofthis specific subsurface system. The TOUGH nonisothermal multiphase flowsimulators are well-suited to perform advanced vadose zone studies. Theconceptual models underlying the TOUGH simulators are capable ofrepresenting features specific to the vadose zone, and of addressing avariety of coupled phenomena. Moreover, the simulators are integratedinto software tools that enable advanced data analysis, optimization, andsystem-level modeling. We discuss fundamental and computationalchallenges in simulating vadose zone processes, review recent advances inmodeling such systems, and demonstrate some capabilities of the TOUGHsuite of codes using illustrative examples.

Fracture toughness calculation using dynamic testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perosanz, F. J.; Serrano, M.; Martinez, C.; Lapena, J.

1998-01-01

The most critical component of a Nuclear Power Station is the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV), due to safety and integrity requirements. The RPV is subjected to neutron radiation and this phenomenon lead to microstructural changes in the material and modifications in the mechanical properties. Due to this effects, it is necessary to assess the structural integrity of the RPV along the operational life through surveillance programs. The main objective of this surveillance programs is to determine the fracture toughness of the material. At present this objective is reached combining direct measures and prediction techniques. In this work, direct measures of fracture toughness using instrumented Charpy V impact testing are present using a CIEMAT development on analysis of results. (Author) 6 refs

Fracture toughness of welded joints of a high strength low alloy steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veiga, S.M.B. da; Bastian, F.L.; Pope, A.M.

1985-10-01

The fracture toughness of the different regions of welded joints of a high strength low alloy steel, Niocor 2, was evaluated at different temperatures and compared with the toughness of the base metal. The studied regions were: the weld metal, fusion boundary and heat affected zone. The welding process used was the manual metal arc. It is shown that the weld metal region has the highest toughness values. (Author) [pt

Design of 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering testing a tough polylactide-based graft copolymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorati, R.; Colonna, C.; Tomasi, C.; Genta, I.; Bruni, G.; Conti, B.

2014-01-01

The aim of this research was to investigate a tough polymer to develop 3D scaffolds and 2D films for tissue engineering applications, in particular to repair urethral strictures or defects. The polymer tested was a graft copolymer of polylactic acid (PLA) synthesized with the rationale to improve the toughness of the related PLA homopolymer. The LMP-3055 graft copolymer (in bulk) demonstrated to have negligible cytotoxicity (bioavailability > 85%, MTT test). Moreover, the LMP-3055 sterilized through gamma rays resulted to be cytocompatible and non-toxic, and it has a positive effect on cell biofunctionality, promoting the cell growth. 3D scaffolds and 2D film were prepared using different LMP-3055 polymer concentrations (7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15%, w/v), and the effect of polymer concentration on pore size, porosity and interconnectivity of the 3D scaffolds and 2D film was investigated. 3D scaffolds got better results for fulfilling structural and biofunctional requirements: porosity, pore size and interconnectivity, cell attachment and proliferation. 3D scaffolds obtained with 10 and 12.5% polymer solutions (3D-2 and 3D-3, respectively) were identified as the most suitable construct for the cell attachment and proliferation presenting pore size ranged between 100 and 400 μm, high porosity (77–78%) and well interconnected pores. In vitro cell studies demonstrated that all the selected scaffolds were able to support the cell proliferation, the cell attachment and growth resulting to their dependency on the polymer concentration and structural features. The degradation test revealed that the degradation of polymer matrix (ΔMw) and water uptake of 3D scaffolds exceed those of 2D film and raw polymer (used as control reference), while the mass loss of samples (3D scaffold and 2D film) resulted to be controlled, they showed good stability and capacity to maintain the physical integrity during the incubation time. - Highlights: • Tough PLA graft copolymer was proposed

Design of 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering testing a tough polylactide-based graft copolymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorati, R., E-mail: rossella.dorati@unipv.it [Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Center for Tissue Engineering (CIT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Colonna, C. [Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Center for Tissue Engineering (CIT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Tomasi, C. [C.S.G.I., Department of Chemistry, Division of Physical Chemistry, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 16 I, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Genta, I. [Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Center for Tissue Engineering (CIT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Bruni, G. [C.S.G.I., Department of Chemistry, Division of Physical Chemistry, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 16 I, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Conti, B. [Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Center for Tissue Engineering (CIT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy)

2014-01-01

The aim of this research was to investigate a tough polymer to develop 3D scaffolds and 2D films for tissue engineering applications, in particular to repair urethral strictures or defects. The polymer tested was a graft copolymer of polylactic acid (PLA) synthesized with the rationale to improve the toughness of the related PLA homopolymer. The LMP-3055 graft copolymer (in bulk) demonstrated to have negligible cytotoxicity (bioavailability > 85%, MTT test). Moreover, the LMP-3055 sterilized through gamma rays resulted to be cytocompatible and non-toxic, and it has a positive effect on cell biofunctionality, promoting the cell growth. 3D scaffolds and 2D film were prepared using different LMP-3055 polymer concentrations (7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15%, w/v), and the effect of polymer concentration on pore size, porosity and interconnectivity of the 3D scaffolds and 2D film was investigated. 3D scaffolds got better results for fulfilling structural and biofunctional requirements: porosity, pore size and interconnectivity, cell attachment and proliferation. 3D scaffolds obtained with 10 and 12.5% polymer solutions (3D-2 and 3D-3, respectively) were identified as the most suitable construct for the cell attachment and proliferation presenting pore size ranged between 100 and 400 μm, high porosity (77–78%) and well interconnected pores. In vitro cell studies demonstrated that all the selected scaffolds were able to support the cell proliferation, the cell attachment and growth resulting to their dependency on the polymer concentration and structural features. The degradation test revealed that the degradation of polymer matrix (ΔMw) and water uptake of 3D scaffolds exceed those of 2D film and raw polymer (used as control reference), while the mass loss of samples (3D scaffold and 2D film) resulted to be controlled, they showed good stability and capacity to maintain the physical integrity during the incubation time. - Highlights: • Tough PLA graft copolymer was proposed

Ductile-reinforcement toughening in γ-TiAl intermetallic-matrix composites: Effects on fracture toughness and fatigue-crack propagation resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkateswara Rao, K.T.; Ritchie, R.O.; Odette, G.R.

1994-01-01

The influence of the type, volume fraction, thickness and orientation of ductile phase reinforcements on the room temperature fatigue and fracture resistance of γ-TiAl intermetallic alloys is investigated. Large improvements in toughness compared to monolithic γ-TiAl are observed in both the TiNb- and Nb-reinforced composites under monotonic loading. Toughness increases with increasing ductile phase content, reinforcement thickness and strength; orientation effect are minimal. Crack-growth behavior is characterized by steep resistance curves primarily due to crack trapping/renucleation and extensive crack bridging by the ductile-phase particles. In contrast, under cyclic loading the influence of ductile phases on fatigue resistance is strongly dependent upon reinforcement orientation. Compared to monolithic γ-TiAl, improvements in fatigue-crack growth resistance are observed in TiNb-reinforced composites only in the face (C-L) orientation; crack-growth rates for the edge (C-R) orientation are actually faster in the composite. In comparison, Nb-particle reinforcements offer less toughening under monotonic loading but enhance the fatigue properties compared to TiNb reinforcements under cyclic loading

Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of CFRP Laminates Incorporating Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisa Borowski

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP laminates exhibit limited fracture toughness due to characteristic interlaminar fiber-matrix cracking and delamination. In this article, we demonstrate that the fracture toughness of CFRP laminates can be improved by the addition of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs. Experimental investigations and numerical modeling were performed to determine the effects of using MWCNTs in CFRP laminates. The CFRP specimens were produced using an epoxy nanocomposite matrix reinforced with carboxyl functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (COOH–MWCNTs. Four MWCNTs contents of 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% per weight of the epoxy resin/hardener mixture were examined. Double cantilever beam (DCB tests were performed to determine the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of the unidirectional CFRP composites. This composite material property was quantified using the critical energy release rate, GIC. The experimental results show a 25%, 20%, and 17% increase in the maximum interlaminar fracture toughness of the CFRP composites with the addition of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt% MWCNTs, respectively. Microstructural investigations using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS verify that chemical reactions took place between the COOH–MWCNTs and the epoxy resin, supporting the improvements experimentally observed in the interlaminar fracture toughness of the CFRP specimens containing MWCNTs. Finite element (FE simulations show good agreement with the experimental results and confirm the significant effect of MWCNTs on the interlaminar fracture toughness of CFRP.

Fracture toughness properties of similar and dissimilar electron beam welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kocak, M.; Junghans, E.

1994-01-01

The weldability aspects, tensile and Crack Tip Opening Displacement (CTOD) toughness properties of 9Cr1MoNbV (P91) martensitic steel with austenitic 316L steel were evaluated for electron beam (EB) welds on 35 mm thick pates. The effects of mechanical heterogeneity (mis-matching) at the vicinity of the crack tip of dissimilar three point bend specimens on the CTOD fracture toughness values was also discussed. The CTOD tests were performed on similar and dissimilar EB welds of austenitic and tempered martensitic P91 steels at room temperature. Dilution of austenitic with martensitic steel resulted in predominantly martensitic EB weld metal, exhibiting rather high yield strength and hardness. Nevertheless, the weld metal produced high CTOD toughness values due to the beneficial effect of the lower strength austenitic steel part of the specimen in which crack deviation occured (mis-match effect). The coarse grained HAZ of the P91 steel side exhibits extremely poor CTOD toughness properties in the as-welded condition at room temperature. The CTOD values obtained are believed to be representing the intrinsic property of this zone since the distance of the crack tip to the weaker austenitic steel part of the SENB specimens was too large to cause an effective stress relaxation at the crack tip. Further post weld heat treatment at 750 C for two hours improved the CTOD toughness marginally. (orig.)

The development and maintenance of mental toughness: perceptions of elite performers.

Science.gov (United States)

Connaughton, Declan; Wadey, Ross; Hanton, Sheldon; Jones, Graham

2008-01-01

Seven participants from a previous study (Jones, Hanton, & Connaughton, 2002) agreed to be interviewed about the development of mental toughness. We also aimed to determine whether mental toughness requires maintenance. Semistructured interviews were conducted to elicit the participants' perceptions of how mental toughness is cultivated and retained. Findings indicated that the development of mental toughness is a long-term process that encompasses a multitude of underlying mechanisms that operate in a combined, rather than independent, fashion. In general, these perceived underlying mechanisms related to many features associated with a motivational climate (e.g. enjoyment, mastery), various individuals (i.e. coaches, peers, parents, grandparents, siblings, senior athletes, sport psychologists, team-mates), experiences in and outside sport, psychological skills and strategies, and an insatiable desire and internalized motives to succeed. It was also reported that once mental toughness had been developed, three perceived underlying mechanisms were required to maintain this construct: a desire and motivation to succeed that was insatiable and internalized, a support network that included sporting and non-sporting personnel, and effective use of basic and advanced psychological skills. Practical implications and future avenues of research are discussed.

Nanoindentation and micro-mechanical fracture toughness of electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni–W alloy films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, D.E.J.; Haseeb, A.S.M.A.; Roberts, S.G.; Wilkinson, A.J.; Bade, K.

2012-01-01

Nanocrystalline nickel–tungsten alloys have great potential in the fabrication of components for microelectromechanical systems. Here the fracture toughness of Ni–12.7 at.%W alloy micro-cantilever beams was investigated. Micro-cantilevers were fabricated by UV lithography and electrodeposition and notched by focused ion beam machining. Load was applied using a nanoindenter and fracture toughness was calculated from the fracture load. Fracture toughness of the Ni–12.7 at.%W was in the range of 1.49–5.14 MPa √m. This is higher than the fracture toughness of Si (another important microelectromechanical systems material), but considerably lower than that of electrodeposited nickel and other nickel based alloys. - Highlights: ► Micro-scale cantilevers manufactured by electro-deposition and focused ion beam machining. ► Nanoindenter used to perform micro-scale fracture test on Ni-13at%W micro-cantilevers. ► Calculation of fracture toughness of electrodeposited Ni-13at%W thin films. ► Fracture toughness values lower than that of nanocrystalline nickel.

Nanoindentation and micro-mechanical fracture toughness of electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni-W alloy films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Armstrong, D.E.J., E-mail: david.armstrong@materials.ox.ac.uk [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Haseeb, A.S.M.A. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Roberts, S.G.; Wilkinson, A.J. [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Bade, K. [Institut fuer Mikrostrukturtechnik (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

2012-04-30

Nanocrystalline nickel-tungsten alloys have great potential in the fabrication of components for microelectromechanical systems. Here the fracture toughness of Ni-12.7 at.%W alloy micro-cantilever beams was investigated. Micro-cantilevers were fabricated by UV lithography and electrodeposition and notched by focused ion beam machining. Load was applied using a nanoindenter and fracture toughness was calculated from the fracture load. Fracture toughness of the Ni-12.7 at.%W was in the range of 1.49-5.14 MPa {radical}m. This is higher than the fracture toughness of Si (another important microelectromechanical systems material), but considerably lower than that of electrodeposited nickel and other nickel based alloys. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Micro-scale cantilevers manufactured by electro-deposition and focused ion beam machining. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanoindenter used to perform micro-scale fracture test on Ni-13at%W micro-cantilevers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Calculation of fracture toughness of electrodeposited Ni-13at%W thin films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fracture toughness values lower than that of nanocrystalline nickel.

The crack layer approach to toughness characterization in steel

Science.gov (United States)

Bessendorff, M.; Chudnovsky, A.

1986-01-01

In a study of the laws of crack propagation and toughness characterization, it is feasible to employ two alternative approaches, including the fracture mechanics approach and the material science approach. The crack layer (CL) theory discussed by Khandogin and Chudnovsky (1978) and Chudnovsky (1980) considers the crack together with the surrounding defects as one system which has several degrees of freedom. It is pointed out that the CL theory defines the relationship between the parameters of fracture mechanics and the characteristics of microstructural changes which are the subject of material science. Experiments are described, taking into account a toughness characterization test and microscopic studies. Attention is given to a phenomenological study of toughness characterization, the morphology of crack layer, and the evaluation of energy stored in the dislocation network.

The curve shortening problem

CERN Document Server

Chou, Kai-Seng

2001-01-01

Although research in curve shortening flow has been very active for nearly 20 years, the results of those efforts have remained scattered throughout the literature. For the first time, The Curve Shortening Problem collects and illuminates those results in a comprehensive, rigorous, and self-contained account of the fundamental results.The authors present a complete treatment of the Gage-Hamilton theorem, a clear, detailed exposition of Grayson''s convexity theorem, a systematic discussion of invariant solutions, applications to the existence of simple closed geodesics on a surface, and a new, almost convexity theorem for the generalized curve shortening problem.Many questions regarding curve shortening remain outstanding. With its careful exposition and complete guide to the literature, The Curve Shortening Problem provides not only an outstanding starting point for graduate students and new investigations, but a superb reference that presents intriguing new results for those already active in the field.

The microstructure effect on the fracture toughness of ferritic Ni-alloyed steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheid, Adriano; Félix, Lorenzo Marzari; Martinazzi, Douglas; Renck, Tiago; Fortis Kwietniewski, Carlos Eduardo

2016-01-01

Production of oil and gas in the Brazilian pre-salt faces several technical challenges and one of them that is a major concern is the presence of CO_2 in high concentration. The aim of this work is to evaluate the fracture toughness of two nickel-containing steels as an alternative material to manufacture low-temperature toughness improved CO_2 transporting pipelines for Enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Optical and scanning electron microscopies were employed to characterize the steels microstructures. Electron back-scattered diffraction was used to estimate the effective grain size and the density of high-angle grain boundaries. Fracture toughness was determined by the use of the crack tip opening displacement methodology. The results indicated that for the as-rolled condition the large islands of the microconstituent M/A in the 5"1"/"2 Ni steel had a detrimental effect on fracture toughness at −100 °C, while finer M/A particles and lower effective grain size with higher density of high-angle grain boundaries in the 9 Ni steel turned its fracture toughness practically temperature independent. Additionally, heat treatment (quenching and tempering) has the potential to dissolve the M/A hard particles and consequently improve fracture toughness at low temperature.

Fracture toughness of China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel at room temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Kunfeng [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027 (China); Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China); Liu, Shaojun, E-mail: shaojun.liu@fds.org.cn [Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China); Huang, Qunying [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027 (China); Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China); Xu, Gang; Jiang, Siben [Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China)

2014-04-15

Highlights: • The fracture toughness of CLAM steel at room temperature is 417.9 kJ/m{sup 2} measured by unloading compliance method according to the ASTM E1820-11. • The fracture toughness of CLAM steel at room temperature can be calculated on the basis of the fractal dimensions measured under plane strain conditions. The calculated result and relative error for this experiment are 454.6 kJ/m{sup 2} and 8.78% respectively. • The calculation method could be used to estimate the fracture toughness of materials with analysis of the fracture surface. - Abstract: The fracture toughness (J{sub IC}) of China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel was tested at room temperature through the compact tension specimen, the result is 417.9 kJ/m{sup 2}, which is similar to the JLF-1 at same experimental conditions. The microstructural observation of the fracture surface shows that the fracture mode is a typical ductile fracture. Meanwhile, the fracture toughness is also calculated on the basis of the fractal dimension and the calculated result is 454.6 kJ/m{sup 2}, which is consistent well with the experimental result. This method could be used to estimate the fracture toughness of materials by analyzing of the fracture surface.

The microstructure effect on the fracture toughness of ferritic Ni-alloyed steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scheid, Adriano, E-mail: scheid@ufpr.br [Programa de Pos-Graduação em Engenharia Mecânica, PGMec, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Cel. Francisco H. dos Santos, 210, Curitiba (Brazil); Félix, Lorenzo Marzari; Martinazzi, Douglas; Renck, Tiago; Fortis Kwietniewski, Carlos Eduardo [Programa de Pos-Graduação em Engenharia de Minas, Metalurgia e Materiais, PPGE3M, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre (Brazil)

2016-04-20

Production of oil and gas in the Brazilian pre-salt faces several technical challenges and one of them that is a major concern is the presence of CO{sub 2} in high concentration. The aim of this work is to evaluate the fracture toughness of two nickel-containing steels as an alternative material to manufacture low-temperature toughness improved CO{sub 2} transporting pipelines for Enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Optical and scanning electron microscopies were employed to characterize the steels microstructures. Electron back-scattered diffraction was used to estimate the effective grain size and the density of high-angle grain boundaries. Fracture toughness was determined by the use of the crack tip opening displacement methodology. The results indicated that for the as-rolled condition the large islands of the microconstituent M/A in the 5{sup 1/2} Ni steel had a detrimental effect on fracture toughness at −100 °C, while finer M/A particles and lower effective grain size with higher density of high-angle grain boundaries in the 9 Ni steel turned its fracture toughness practically temperature independent. Additionally, heat treatment (quenching and tempering) has the potential to dissolve the M/A hard particles and consequently improve fracture toughness at low temperature.

Optimization design of strong and tough nacreous nanocomposites through tuning characteristic lengths

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Yong; Song, Zhaoqiang; Jiang, Hongyuan; Yu, Shu-Hong; He, Linghui

2015-08-01

How nacreous nanocomposites with optimal combinations of stiffness, strength and toughness depend on constituent property and microstructure parameters is studied using a nonlinear shear-lag model. We show that the interfacial elasto-plasticity and the overlapping length between bricks dependent on the brick size and brick staggering mode significantly affect the nonuniformity of the shear stress, the stress-transfer efficiency and thus the failure path. There are two characteristic lengths at which the strength and toughness are optimized respectively. Simultaneous optimization of the strength and toughness is achieved by matching these lengths as close as possible in the nacreous nanocomposite with regularly staggered brick-and-mortar (BM) structure where simultaneous uniform failures of the brick and interface occur. In the randomly staggered BM structure, as the overlapping length is distributed, the nacreous nanocomposite turns the simultaneous uniform failure into progressive interface or brick failure with moderate decrease of the strength and toughness. Specifically there is a parametric range at which the strength and toughness are insensitive to the brick staggering randomness. The obtained results propose a parametric selection guideline based on the length matching for rational design of nacreous nanocomposites. Such guideline explains why nacre is strong and tough while most artificial nacreous nanocomposites aere not.

Anisotropy of fracture toughness of austenitic high nitrogen chromium-manganese steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balitskii, A.I.; Pokhmurskii, V.I.; Diener, M.; Magdowski, R.; Speidel, M.O.

1999-01-01

The anisotropy of mechanical properties, in particular of the fracture toughness measured by the J-integral method, is demonstrated for industrially manufactured high strength retaining rings made from the nitrogen alloyed steel 18Mn18Cr. The RT-orientation turns out to be the weakest with regard to the resistance of the material to stable crack growth. The fracture toughness results are compared with results from calorimetric measurements. Here, also an orientation dependence of the heat irradiation energy is observed, clearly showing the same ranking of specimen orientation as the toughness data suggest. (orig.)

Fracture toughness and stress relief response of irradiated Type 347/348 stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haggag, F.M.

1985-01-01

A test program has experimentally determined: (1) The fracture toughness of Type 347/348 stainless steel (SS) specimens with high values of irradiation fluence (2.3 to 4.8 x 10 22 n/cm 2 , E > 1.0 MeV) and experiencing different levels of irradiation creep (0.0, 0.6, 1.1, 1.8%), (2) the effect of thermal stress relief on fracture toughness recovery for the highly irradiated material, and (3) the mechanisms associated with fracture toughness recovery due to thermal stress relief. The postirradiation fracture toughness tests and tensile tests were conducted at 427 0 C

Fracture toughness properties of rocks in Olkiluoto: Laboratory measurements 2008-2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siren, T.

2012-05-15

In Olkiluoto an underground rock characterization facility (ONKALO) for the final disposal site of spent nuclear fuel has been under thorough research many years, but further knowledge is needed on fracture toughness parameters. Fracture toughness parameters are important for example in fracture mechanics prediction for Posiva's Olkiluoto Spalling Experiment (POSE). This working report describes a laboratory campaign that was done between 2008 and 2009. The campaign aimed at determining the fracture mechanics parameters as well as density and ultrasonic velocities for Olkiluoto rocks. The specimens delivered were selected by Posiva; the core showed no damage and the quality of the delivered cores was good with varying sample diameter. Most of the test samples (9 out of 12) are gneissic rock. The Mode I fracture toughness was determined using two different methods to account for two different fracturing directions. The methods are the Chevron Bend (CB) test as proposed in the ISRM Suggested Method and a method based on the Brazilian Disk (BD) experiment. The Mode II fracture toughness was determined using the Punch-Through Shear with Confining Pressure experiment on the remaining pieces from the CB testing. The scatter in the results is very large, even within one piece of core sample. Usually the scatter of results is less than 5 %. The high scatter in the data at hand is believed to be due to the very inhomogeneous nature of the rock material. The magnitude of the determined Mode I fracture toughness compares well with available reported data for medium to coarse grained granitoide rocks. However the scatter of the mode II fracture toughness values is higher than experienced on other rock types, but the variability is reasonable for the inhomogeneous rock type. Distinguishing the fracture toughness values for different anisotropy directions would require more thorough testing with quality samples at different anisotropy directions. However since fracture

The effect of specimen and flaw dimensions on fracture toughness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nevalainen, M.J. [VTT Manufacturing Technology, Espoo (Finland)

1997-06-01

The effect of the specimen size and geometry on fracture toughness has been investigated both by experimental tests and computational analyses. The methods for constraint description, namely T-stress, Q-parameter and Small-Scale Yielding Correction (SSYC) have been compared and applied for various geometries. A statistical treatment for the specimen thickness effect on cleavage fracture toughness has been investigated. Elliptical surface cracks were compared with straight-thickness cracks and a method for crack shape correction was presented. Based on the results, the differences in apparent fracture toughness values obtained from various specimen configurations can be better understood and taken into account. 64 refs. The thesis includes also four previous publications by author.

An overview of EXTOOL: An analysis tool for V-TOUGH and NUFT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daveler, S.

1995-08-01

Several post-processors have been used in connection with V-TOUGH. Initially, a sequence of utilities were used to extract and plot V-TOUGH information. This changed in 1991 as a new post-processor, EXTOOL, was developed. Currently, EXTOOL, is the main post-processor for the modeling codes V-TOUGH and NUFT. In the following sections, a history of V-TOUGH post-processing is discussed along with an overview of EXTOOL. This overview describes some of Extool's capabilities and suggests reasons for using this code instead of another postprocessor. More detailed information on EXTOOL can be found in the Extool User's Manual and the Extool Programmer's Guide. Both these manuals are drafts, and can be requested by sending email to daveler2 at sign llnl.gov

Comparison of fracture toughness (K{sub IC}) and strain energy release rate (G) of selected nuclear graphites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chi, Se-Hwan, E-mail: shchi@kaeri.re.kr

2016-08-01

The fracture behaviors of six nuclear graphite grades for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), which differed in coke particle size and forming method, were characterized based on the ASTM standard graphite fracture toughness test method (ASTM D 7779-11) at room temperature. The G appeared to show good correlation with the fracture surface roughness and the G-Δa curves appeared to describe the fracture process well from crack initiation to failure. Comparison of the local (K{sub IC}) and gross (G{sub IC}, G-Δa) fracture parameters showed that the resistance to crack initiation and propagation was higher in the extruded or vibration molded medium particle size grades (PCEA, NBG-17, NBG-18: EVM group) than in the iso-molded fine particle size grades (IG-110, IG-430, NBG-25: IMF group). The ASTM may need to provide a guideline for G-Δa curve analysis. The K{sub IC} appeared to increase with specimen thickness (size).

Foundation of the Outstanding Toughness in Biomimetic and Natural Spider Silk.

Science.gov (United States)

Anton, Arthur Markus; Heidebrecht, Aniela; Mahmood, Nasir; Beiner, Mario; Scheibel, Thomas; Kremer, Friedrich

2017-12-11

Spider dragline silk is distinguished through the highest toughness of all natural as well as artificial fiber materials. To unravel the toughness's molecular foundation and to enable manufacturing biomimetic analogues, we investigated the morphological and functional structure of recombinant fibers, which exhibit toughness similar to that of the natural template, on the molecular scale by means of vibrational spectroscopy and on the mesoscale by X-ray scattering. Whereas the former was used to identify protein secondary structures and their alignment in the natural as well as artificial silks, the latter revealed nanometer-sized crystallites on the higher structural level. Furthermore, a spectral red shift of a crystal-specific absorption band demonstrated that macroscopically applied stress is directly transferred to the molecular scale, where it is finally dissipated. Concerning this feature, both the natural as well as the biomimetic fibers are almost indistinguishable, giving rise to the toughness of both fiber materials.

Mental Toughness Moderates Social Loafing in Cycle Time-Trial Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Haugen, Tommy; Reinboth, Michael; Hetlelid, Ken J.; Peters, Derek M.; Høigaard, Rune

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if mental toughness moderated the occurrence of social loafing in cycle time-trial performance. Method: Twenty-seven men (M[subscript age] = 17.7 years, SD = 0.6) completed the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire prior to completing a 1-min cycling trial under 2 conditions: once with individual…

Comparison of ductile-to-brittle transition curve fitting approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, L.W.; Wu, S.J.; Flewitt, P.E.J.

2012-01-01

Ductile-to-brittle transition (DBT) curve fitting approaches are compared over the transition temperature range for reactor pressure vessel steels with different kinds of data, including Charpy-V notch impact energy data and fracture toughness data. Three DBT curve fitting methods have been frequently used in the past, including the Burr S-Weibull and tanh distributions. In general there is greater scatter associated with test data obtained within the transition region. Therefore these methods give results with different accuracies, especially when fitting to small quantities of data. The comparison shows that the Burr distribution and tanh distribution can almost equally fit well distributed and large data sets extending across the test temperature range to include the upper and lower shelves. The S-Weibull distribution fit is poor for the lower shelf of the DBT curve. Overall for both large and small quantities of measured data the Burr distribution provides the best description. - Highlights: ► Burr distribution offers a better fit than that of a S-Weibull and tanh fit. ► Burr and tanh methods show similar fitting ability for a large data set. ► Burr method can fit sparse data well distributed across the test temperature. ► S-Weibull method cannot fit the lower shelf well and show poor fitting quality.

Tough hybrid ceramic-based material with high strength

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Shuqi; Kagawa, Yutaka; Nishimura, Toshiyuki

2012-01-01

This study describes a tough and strong hybrid ceramic material consisting of platelet-like zirconium compounds and metal. A mixture of boron carbide and excess zirconium powder was heated to 1900 °C using a liquid-phase reaction sintering technique to produce a platelet-like ZrB 2 -based hybrid ceramic bonded by a thin zirconium layer. The platelet-like ZrB 2 grains were randomly present in the as-sintered hybrid ceramic. Relative to non-hybrid ceramics, the fracture toughness and flexural strength of the hybrid ceramic increased by approximately 2-fold.

A methodology for the investigation of toughness and crack propagation in mouse bone.

Science.gov (United States)

Carriero, Alessandra; Zimmermann, Elizabeth A; Shefelbine, Sandra J; Ritchie, Robert O

2014-11-01

Bone fracture is a health concern for those with aged bone and brittle bone diseases. Mouse bone is widely used as a model of human bone, especially to investigate preclinical treatment strategies. However, little is known about the mechanisms of mouse bone fracture and its similarities and differences from fracture in human bone. In this work we present a methodology to investigate the fracture toughness during crack initiation and crack propagation for mouse bone. Mouse femora were dissected, polished on their periosteal surface, notched on the posterior surface at their mid-diaphysis, and tested in three-point bending under displacement control at a rate of 0.1mm/min using an in situ loading stage within an environmental scanning electron microscope. We obtained high-resolution real-time imaging of the crack initiation and propagation in mouse bone. From the images we can measure the crack extension at each step of the crack growth and calculate the toughness of the bone (in terms of stress intensity factor (K) and work to fracture (Wf)) as a function of stable crack length (Δa), thus generating a resistance curve for the mouse bone. The technique presented here provides insight into the evolution of microdamage and the toughening mechanisms that resist crack propagation, which are essential for preclinical development of treatments to enhance bone quality and combat fracture risk. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method to increase the toughness of aluminum-lithium alloys at cryogenic temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Sankaran, Krishnan K. (Inventor); Sova, Brian J. (Inventor); Babel, Henry W. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

A method to increase the toughness of the aluminum-lithium alloy C458 and similar alloys at cryogenic temperatures above their room temperature toughness is provided. Increasing the cryogenic toughness of the aluminum-lithium alloy C458 allows the use of alloy C458 for cryogenic tanks, for example for launch vehicles in the aerospace industry. A two-step aging treatment for alloy C458 is provided. A specific set of times and temperatures to age the aluminum-lithium alloy C458 to T8 temper is disclosed that results in a higher toughness at cryogenic temperatures compared to room temperature. The disclosed two-step aging treatment for alloy 458 can be easily practiced in the manufacturing process, does not involve impractical heating rates or durations, and does not degrade other material properties.

Characterization of the mechanical properties of tough biopolymer fibres from the mussel byssus of Aulacomya ater.

Science.gov (United States)

Troncoso, O P; Torres, F G; Grande, C J

2008-07-01

Byssus fibres are tough biopolymer fibres produced by mussels to attach themselves to rocks. In this communication, we present the mechanical properties of the byssus from the South American mussel Aulacomya ater which have not been previously reported in the literature. The mechanical properties of the whole threads were assessed by uniaxial tensile tests of dry and hydrated specimens. Elastoplastic and elastomeric stress-strain curves were found for byssal threads from A. ater in the dry and hydrated state, respectively. The results obtained from mechanical tests were modelled using linear, power-law-type and Mooney-Rivlin relationships. These methods for dealing with tensile measurements of mussel byssus have the potential to be used with other stretchy biomaterials.

Effect of microstructure on the impact toughness of high strength steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gutierrez, I.

2014-07-01

One of the major challenges in the development of new steel grades is to get increasingly high strength combined with a low ductile brittle transition temperature and a high upper shelf energy. This requires the appropriate microstructural design. Toughness in steels is controlled by different microstructural constituents. Some of them, like inclusions, are intrinsic while others happening at different microstructural scales relate to processing conditions. A series of empirical equations express the transition temperature as a sum of contributions from substitutional solutes, free nitrogen, carbides, pearlite, grain size and eventually precipitation strengthening. Aimed at developing a methodology that could be applied to high strength steels, microstructures with a selected degree of complexity were produced at laboratory in a Nb-microalloyed steel. As a result a model has been developed that consistently predicts the Charpy curves for ferrite-pearlite, bainitic and quenched and tempered microstructures using as input data microstructural parameters. This model becomes a good tool for microstructural design. (Author)

Tough by name, tough by nature.

Science.gov (United States)

Baillie, Jonathan

2015-04-01

Few beds, one would imagine, could withstand three-quarters of a ton landing on them, but this was the challenge successfully met by a box bed from a furniture manufacturer for challenging behaviour environments, Tough Furniture, when, to reassure a customer that the bed could accommodate 30-stone patients, 13 of the company's staff jumped repeatedly on it to ensure that it would survive intact in a real-world setting. Such testing may seem extreme, but is vital, since much of the company's furniture is destined for environments where patients will abuse, and indeed attempt to destroy, components. As MD David Vesty explained to HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, when he visited the company's Shropshire headquarters, it is through manufacturing premium quality cabinet furniture that is both attractive and distinctly non-institutional, but will equally withstand the harshest use, that the company has ensured that its products can live up to the brand name.

Fracture toughness of borides formed on boronized ductile iron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, Ugur; Sen, Saduman; Koksal, Sakip; Yilmaz, Fevzi

2005-01-01

In this study, fracture toughness properties of boronized ductile iron were investigated. Boronizing was realized in a salt bath consisting of borax, boric acid and ferro-silicon. Boronizing heat treatment was carried out between 850 and 950 deg. C under the atmospheric pressure for 2-8 h. Borides e.g. FeB, Fe 2 B formed on ductile iron was verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, SEM and optical microscope. Experimental results revealed that longer boronizing time resulted in thicker boride layers. Optical microscope cross-sectional observation of borided layers showed dentricular morphology. Both microhardness and fracture toughness of borided surfaces were measured via Vickers indenter. The harnesses of borides formed on the ductile iron were in the range of 1160-2140 HV 0.1 and fracture toughness were in the range of 2.19-4.47 MPa m 1/2 depending on boronizing time and temperature

Fracture toughness in nuclear waste glasses and ceramics: environmental and radiation effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, W.J.; Matzke, H.J.

1986-03-01

The effects of atmospheric moisture and radiation damage on fracture properties of nuclear waste glasses and ceramics was investigated by indentation techniques. In nuclear waste glasses, atmospheric moisture has no measurable effect on hardness but decreases the fracture toughness; radiation damage, on the other hand, decreased the hardness and increased the fracture toughness. In nuclear ceramics, self-radiation damage from alpha decay decreased the hardness and elastic modules; the fracture toughness increased with dose to a broad maximum and then decreased slightly with further increases in dose

Dynamic fracture toughness testing of structural steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debel, C.P.

1978-01-01

Two candidate test methods aimed at producing materials properties of interest in connection with crack arrest assessments are currently under evaluation. These methods and the significance of the results are described. The quasi-static as well as the dynamic fracture toughness of a plain C-Mn steel in the as-quenched and tempered condition have been examined at temperatures between -115 0 C and the ambient temperature. Wedge-loaded duplex DCB-specimens were used in dynamic tests. The crack extension velocity was measured using a surface deposited grid and a registration circuit based on TTL-electronics. The toughness transition-temperature at quasi-static loading rate is found to be low; but during dynamic crack-extension a substantial shift of the transition-region to higher temperatures is produced, and fast fracture was obtained even at ambient temperature. Even though the dynamic fracture toughness Ksub(ID) increases with temperature, it decreases with increasing crack-extension velocity at a given temperature and the rate of decrease with respect to crack-extension velocity seems to be independent of temperature. Ksub(ID) appears to be insensitive to heat treatments. Test results indicate insufficient load-train stiffness, and problems due to crack branching were encountered. (author)

Fracture Toughness (KIC) of Lithography Based Manufactured Alumina Ceramic

Science.gov (United States)

Nindhia, T. G. T.; Schlacher, J.; Lube, T.

2018-04-01

Precision shaped ceramic components can be obtained by an emerging technique called Lithography based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM). A green part is made from a slurry consisting of a ceramic powder in a photocurable binder with addition of dispersant and plasticizer. Components are built in a layer–by-layer way by exposing the desired cross- sections to light. The parts are subsequently sintered to their final density. It is a challenge to produce ceramic component with this method that yield the same mechanical properties in all direction. The fracture toughness (KIc) of of LCM-alumina (prepared at LITHOZ GmbH, Austria) was tested by using the Single-Edge-V-Notched Beam (SEVNB) method. Notches are made into prismatic bend-bars in all three direction X, Y and Z to recognize the value of fracture toughness of the material in all three directions. The microstructure was revealed with optical microscopy as well as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the fracture toughness in Y-direction has the highest value (3.10 MPam1/2) that is followed by the one in X-direction which is just a bit lower (2.90 MPam1/2). The Z-direction is found to have a similar fracture toughness (2.95 MPam1/2). This is supported by a homogeneous microstructure showing no hint of the layers used during production.

Dependence of fracture toughness of molybdenum laser welds on processing parameters and in-situ oxygen gettering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pope, L.E.; Jellison, J.L.

1980-01-01

Fracture toughness properties have been determined for laser welds in different grades of molybdenum. The fracture toughness of welds in sintered molybdenum was consistently less than the fracture toughness of welds in vacuum arc remelted molybdenum. These differences cannot be attributed to oxygen content, since the oxygen level was nominally the same for all grades of molybdenum examined in this program. Alloy additions of titanium by means of physically deposited coatings significantly improved the fracture toughness of welds in sintered molybdenum, whereas titanium additions to welds in vacuum arc remelted molybdenum decreased the fracture toughness slightly. Pulsed laser welds exhibited fine columnar structures and, in the case of sintered molybdenum, superior fracture toughness when compared with continuous wave laser welds. 6 figures, 3 tables

Symphysis-fundal height curve in the diagnosis of fetal growth deviations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Djacyr Magna Cabral Freire

2010-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To validate a new symphysis-fundal curve for screening fetal growth deviations and to compare its performance with the standard curve adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. METHODS: Observational study including a total of 753 low-risk pregnant women with gestational age above 27 weeks between March to October 2006 in the city of João Pessoa, Northeastern Brazil. Symphisys-fundal was measured using a standard technique recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Estimated fetal weight assessed through ultrasound using the Brazilian fetal weight chart for gestational age was the gold standard. A subsample of 122 women with neonatal weight measurements was taken up to seven days after estimated fetal weight measurements and symphisys-fundal classification was compared with Lubchenco growth reference curve as gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. The McNemar χ2 test was used for comparing sensitivity of both symphisys-fundal curves studied. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the new curve for detecting small for gestational age fetuses was 51.6% while that of the Brazilian Ministry of Health reference curve was significantly lower (12.5%. In the subsample using neonatal weight as gold standard, the sensitivity of the new reference curve was 85.7% while that of the Brazilian Ministry of Health was 42.9% for detecting small for gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic performance of the new curve for detecting small for gestational age fetuses was significantly higher than that of the Brazilian Ministry of Health reference curve.

Toughness and other mechanical properties of the duplex stainless steel 2205

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sieurin, H.; Sandstroem, R.

2003-01-01

The use and range of potential applications of duplex stainless steel continuously increase. An overview of the mechanical properties of duplex stainless steel 2205 is presented with focus on toughness properties. Impact and fracture toughness as well as strength results from the European research project, EcoPress, are presented. (orig.)

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL TOUGHNESS, STRESS, AND BURNOUT AMONG ADOLESCENTS: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY WITH SWISS VOCATIONAL STUDENTS (.).

Science.gov (United States)

Gerber, Markus; Feldmeth, Anne Karina; Lang, Christin; Brand, Serge; Elliot, Catherine; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Pühse, Uwe

2015-12-01

Past research has shown that higher stress is associated with increased burnout symptoms. The purpose of this study was to test whether mental toughness protects against symptoms of burnout and whether mental toughness moderates the relationship between perceived stress and burnout over time. Fifty-four vocational students (M age = 18.1 yr., SD = 1.2; 27 males, 27 females) completed self-report questionnaires twice, 10 mo. apart. Perceived stress, mental toughness, and burnout were measured using the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ), the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ), and the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM). Students who perceived higher stress and lower mental toughness scores reported higher burnout symptoms. Although no significant interaction effects were found between stress and mental toughness in the prediction of burnout, the graphical inspection of the interactions indicated that among students with high stress, those with high mental toughness remained below the cutoff for mild burnout, whereas an increase in burnout symptoms was observable among peers with low mental toughness.

Fracture toughness of irradiated candidate materials for ITER first wall/blanket structures: Preliminary results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.J.; Pawel, J.E.; Grossbeck, M.L.; Rowcliffe, A.F.

1993-01-01

Candidate materials for first wall/blanket structures in ITER have been irradiated to damage levels of about 3 dpa at temperatures of either 60 or 250 degrees C. Preliminary results have been obtained for several of these materials irradiated at 60 degrees C. The results show that irradiation at this temperature reduces the fracture toughness of austenitic stainless steels, but the toughness remains quite high. The unloading compliance technique developed for the subsize disk compact specimens works quite well, particularly for materials with lower toughness. Specimens of materials with very high toughness deform excessively, and this results in experimental difficulties

Four Takes on Tough Times

Science.gov (United States)

Rebell, Michael A.; Odden, Allan; Rolle, Anthony; Guthrie, James W.

2012-01-01

Educational Leadership talks with four experts in the fields of education policy and finance about how schools can weather the current financial crisis. Michael A. Rebell focuses on the recession and students' rights; Allan Odden suggests five steps schools can take to improve in tough times; Anthony Rolle describes the tension between equity and…

Proceedings of the TOUGH workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruess, K. [ed.

1990-09-01

A workshop on applications and enhancements of the TOUGH/MULKOM family of multiphase fluid and heat flow simulation programs was held at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory on September 13--14, 1990. The workshop was attended by 62 scientists from seven countries with interests in geothermal reservoir engineering, nuclear waste isolation, unsaturated zone hydrology, environmental problems, and laboratory and field experimentation. The meeting featured 21 technical presentations, extended abstracts of which are reproduced in the present volume in unedited form. Simulator applications included processes on a broad range of space scales, from centimeters to kilometers, with transient times from seconds to geologic time scales. A number of code enhancements were reported that increased execution speeds for large 3-D problems by factors of order 20, reduced memory requirements, and improved user-friendliness. The workshop closed with an open discussion session that focussed on future needs and means for interaction in the TOUGH user community. Input from participants was gathered by means of a questionnaire that is reproduced in the appendix. 171 refs., 91 figs., 16 tabs.

Proceedings of the TOUGH workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pruess, K.

1990-09-01

A workshop on applications and enhancements of the TOUGH/MULKOM family of multiphase fluid and heat flow simulation programs was held at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory on September 13--14, 1990. The workshop was attended by 62 scientists from seven countries with interests in geothermal reservoir engineering, nuclear waste isolation, unsaturated zone hydrology, environmental problems, and laboratory and field experimentation. The meeting featured 21 technical presentations, extended abstracts of which are reproduced in the present volume in unedited form. Simulator applications included processes on a broad range of space scales, from centimeters to kilometers, with transient times from seconds to geologic time scales. A number of code enhancements were reported that increased execution speeds for large 3-D problems by factors of order 20, reduced memory requirements, and improved user-friendliness. The workshop closed with an open discussion session that focussed on future needs and means for interaction in the TOUGH user community. Input from participants was gathered by means of a questionnaire that is reproduced in the appendix. 171 refs., 91 figs., 16 tabs

Crack growth and fracture toughness of amorphous Li-Si anodes: Mechanisms and role of charging/discharging studied by atomistic simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Khosrownejad, S. M.; Curtin, W. A.

2017-10-01

Fracture is the main cause of degradation and capacity fading in lithiated silicon during cycling. Experiments on the fracture of lithiated silicon show conflicting results, and so mechanistic models can help interpret experiments and guide component design. Here, large-scale K-controlled atomistic simulations of crack propagation (R-curve KI vs. Δa) are performed at LixSi compositions x = 0.5 , 1.0 , 1.5 for as-quenched/relaxed samples and at x = 0.5 , 1.0 for samples created by discharging from higher Li compositions. In all cases, the fracture mechanism is void nucleation, growth, and coalescence. In as-quenched materials, with increasing Li content the plastic flow stress and elastic moduli decrease but void nucleation and growth happen at smaller stress, so that the initial fracture toughness KIc ≈ 1.0 MPa√{ m} decreases slightly but the initial fracture energy JIc ≈ 10.5J/m2 is similar. After 10 nm of crack growth, the fracture toughnesses increase and become similar at KIc ≈ 1.9 MPa√{ m} across all compositions. Plane-strain equi-biaxial expansion simulations of uncracked samples provide complementary information on void nucleation and growth. The simulations are interpreted within the framework of Gurson model for ductile fracture, which predicts JIc = ασy D where α ≃ 1 and D is the void spacing, and good agreement is found. In spite of flowing plastically, the fracture toughness of LixSi is low because voids nucleate within nano-sized distances ahead of the crack (D ≈ 1nm). Scaling simulation results to experimental conditions, reasonable agreement with experimentally-estimated fracture toughnesses is obtained. The discharging process facilitates void nucleation but decreases the flow stress (as shown previously), leading to enhanced fracture toughness at all levels of crack growth. Therefore, the fracture behavior of lithiated silicon at a given composition is not a material property but instead depends on the history of charging

Influence of texture on fracture toughness of zircaloy cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grigoriev, V.; Andersson, Stefan

1997-06-01

The correlation between texture and fracture toughness of Zircaloy 2 cladding has been investigated in connection with axial cracks in fuel rods. The texture of the cladding determines the anisotropy of plasticity of the cladding which, in turn, should influence the strain conditions at the crack-tip. Plastic strains in the cladding under uniaxial tension were characterised by means of the anisotropy constants F, G and H calculated according to Hill's theory. Test temperatures between 20 and 300 deg C do not influence the F, G and H values. Any significant effect of hydrogen (about 500 wtppm) on the anisotropy constants F, G and H has not been revealed at a test temperature of 300 deg C. The results, obtained for stress-relieved and recrystallized cladding with different texture, show an obvious influence of texture on the fracture toughness of Zircaloy cladding. A higher fracture toughness has been found for cladding with more radial texture

Influence of texture on fracture toughness of zircaloy cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grigoriev, V. [Studsvik Material AB, Nykoeping (Sweden); Andersson, Stefan [Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden)

1997-06-01

The correlation between texture and fracture toughness of Zircaloy 2 cladding has been investigated in connection with axial cracks in fuel rods. The texture of the cladding determines the anisotropy of plasticity of the cladding which, in turn, should influence the strain conditions at the crack-tip. Plastic strains in the cladding under uniaxial tension were characterised by means of the anisotropy constants F, G and H calculated according to Hill`s theory. Test temperatures between 20 and 300 deg C do not influence the F, G and H values. Any significant effect of hydrogen (about 500 wtppm) on the anisotropy constants F, G and H has not been revealed at a test temperature of 300 deg C. The results, obtained for stress-relieved and recrystallized cladding with different texture, show an obvious influence of texture on the fracture toughness of Zircaloy cladding. A higher fracture toughness has been found for cladding with more radial texture. With a 2 page summary in Swedish. 32 refs, 18 figs.

Crack arrest toughness measurements with A533B steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salonen, Seppo.

1979-11-01

This work covers crack arrest toughness measurements on A533B steel done at the Technical Research Centre of Finland. These measurements are one part of a multinational effort, involving 30 laboratories. The aim of the cooperative test program is to examine two test procedures for measuring the crack arrest toughness, to give information about their reproducibility, and to identify the factors affecting the interpretation. The principles given for the testing were easy to apply in general and the results were satisfactory. Some factors in the test runs and in the specimen's behaviour are indicated which can cause error in the results or make implementation of the test more difficult. By comparing the results from our laboratory with average values from the test program a good agreement can be seen. Crack arrest toughness values derived from the compared procedures with a static analysis agree closely, but values calculated using a dynamic analysis differ considerably. (author)

Fracture Toughness Round Robin Test International in pressure tube materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villagarcia, M.P.; Liendo, M.F.

1993-01-01

Part of the pressure tubes surveillance program of CANDU type reactors is to determine the fracture toughness using a special fracture specimen and test procedure. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited decided to hold a Round Robin Test International and 9 laboratories participated worldwide in which several pressure tube materials were selected: Zircaloy-2, Zr-2.5%Nb cold worked and Zr-2.5%Nb heat treated. The small specimens used held back the thickness and curvature of the tube. J-R curves at room temperature were obtained and the crack extension values were determined by electrical potential drop techniques. These values were compared with results generated from other laboratories and a bid scatter was founded. It could be due to slight variations in the test method or inhomogeneity of the materials and a statistical study must be done to see if there is any pattern. The next step for the Round Robin Test would be to make some modifications in the test method in order to reduce the scatter. (Author)

Air-tough: A fully 3-dimensional linking of atmosphere with soil using eddy diffusivity concept and V-TOUGH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montazer, P. [Multimedia Environmental Technology, Inc., Newport Beach, CA (United States)

1995-03-01

In arid climates, evapotranspiration is a strongly-coupled thermodynamic process that is controlled by the interaction of the atmospheric boundary layer and the upper soil surface. Simulation of this process requires a fully-coupled thermodynamic multi-phase fluid-flow and energy-transport code. Such a code was developed in a previous investigation using V-TOUGH. The resulting efficient computer code, A-TOUGH, simulates the effect of dynamic atmospheric fluctuations on vapor movement between the soil and the atmosphere and the resulting moisture movement in the soil. However, the coupling between the atmosphere and soil employed eddy diffusivity which was only a function of time and not a function of space. In the present study the code is extended to allow spatial as well as temporal variation of eddy diffusivity.

The use of TOUGH2/iTOUGH2 in support of the Yucca Mountain Project: Successes and limitations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodvarsson, G.S.; Birkholzer, J.T.; Finsterle, S.; Liu, H.H.; Rutqvist, J.; Wu, Y.S.

2003-01-01

The TOUGH2/iTOUGH2 family of codes is being used to analyze various processes and phenomena in the unsaturated zone at the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Various models have been developed that help quantify properties of the volcanic tuffs, water flow, seepage into drifts, and thermally driven coupled processes arising from the heat emitted by radioactive waste. These models are based on various assumptions and approximations that are generally accepted in the literature, but can give rise to different degrees of uncertainty. Some of the key approaches utilized include the continuum approximation, the van Genuchten formulation, the active fracture model, and homogeneous sublayers. These and other approximations are presented separately for the five different models considered, and the resulting levels of uncertainty are discussed

Austrian height and body proportion references for children aged 4 to under 19 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Gleiss, Andreas; Lassi, Michael; Blümel, Peter; Borkenstein, Martin; Kapelari, Klaus; Mayer, Michael; Schemper, Michael; Häusler, Gabriele

2013-07-01

Previous studies have demonstrated differences between national and the WHO reference curves in children older than 5 years. Moreover, reference curves for body proportions (sitting height, subischial leg length and their ratio) based on state-of-the-art statistics are not available. To develop reference curves for height and body proportions for use in Austria and compare the curves with WHO reference curves. To estimate and statistically investigate extreme percentiles. A sample of ∼14 500 children between 4-19 years of age was drawn via schooling institutions, stratified by provinces according to age- and sex-specific population proportions. GAMLSS models were used for a flexible estimation of percentile curves. After the age of 5 years national reference curves are more suitable than the WHO reference curves for clinical use in Austria. These height curves are very similar to the German reference curves published recently. Therefore, these reference curves for criteria of body proportions are recommended for use in other populations. Further validation studies are needed to establish whether the recently recommended -2.5 and -3.0 SD for height are a sensitive and specific cut-off in the diagnostic work-up for children with a suspected growth disorder using this new Austrian height chart.

Use of Master Curve technology for assessing shallow flaws in a reactor pressure vessel material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bass, Bennett Richard; Taylor, Nigel

2006-01-01

In the NESC-IV project an experimental/analytical program was performed to develop validated analysis methods for transferring fracture toughness data to shallow flaws in reactor pressure vessels subject to biaxial loading in the lower-transition temperature region. Within this scope an extensive range of fracture tests was performed on material removed from a production-quality reactor pressure vessel. The Master Curve analysis of this data is reported and its application to the assessment of the project feature tests on large beam test pieces.

Recent development in low-constraint fracture toughness testing for structural integrity assessment of pipelines

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jidong; Gianetto, James A.; Tyson, William R.

2018-03-01

Fracture toughness measurement is an integral part of structural integrity assessment of pipelines. Traditionally, a single-edge-notched bend (SE(B)) specimen with a deep crack is recommended in many existing pipeline structural integrity assessment procedures. Such a test provides high constraint and therefore conservative fracture toughness results. However, for girth welds in service, defects are usually subjected to primarily tensile loading where the constraint is usually much lower than in the three-point bend case. Moreover, there is increasing use of strain-based design of pipelines that allows applied strains above yield. Low-constraint toughness tests represent more realistic loading conditions for girth weld defects, and the corresponding increased toughness can minimize unnecessary conservatism in assessments. In this review, we present recent developments in low-constraint fracture toughness testing, specifically using single-edgenotched tension specimens, SENT or SE(T). We focus our review on the test procedure development and automation, round-robin test results and some common concerns such as the effect of crack tip, crack size monitoring techniques, and testing at low temperatures. Examples are also given of the integration of fracture toughness data from SE(T) tests into structural integrity assessment.

Study of cladding toughness in a pressure vessel steel water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soulat, P.; Al Mundheri, M.

1984-12-01

Toughness of cladding and pressure vessel steel were determined at different temperatures in order to appreciate the participation of cladding resistance against crack propagation. The toughness of cladding is comparable with typical results on austenitic welds. The test on covered CT specimens shows the possibility of having a relatively good prevision of the behaviour of a coated structure

Bone toughness at the molecular scale: A model for fracture toughness using crosslinked osteopontin on synthetic and biogenic mineral substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavelier, S; Dastjerdi, A K; McKee, M D; Barthelat, F

2018-05-01

The most prominent structural components in bone are collagen and mineral. However, bone additionally contains a substantial amount of noncollagenous proteins (most notably of the SIBLING protein family), some of which may act as cohesive/adhesive "binders" for the composite hybrid collagen/mineral scaffolding, whether in the bulk phase of bone, or at its interfaces. One such noncollagenous protein - osteopontin (OPN) - appears to be critical to the deformability and fracture toughness of bone. In the present study, we used a reconstructed synthetic mineral-OPN-mineral interface, and a biogenic (natural tooth dentin) mineral/collagen-OPN-mineral/collagen interface, to measure the fracture toughness of OPN on mineralized substrates. We used this system to test the hypothesis that OPN crosslinking by the enzyme tissue transglutaminase 2 (TG2) that is found in bone enhances interfacial adhesion to increase the fracture toughness of bone. For this, we prepared double-cantilever beam substrates of synthetic pure hydroxyapatite mineral, and of narwhal dentin, and directly apposed them to one another under different intervening OPN/crosslinking conditions, and fracture toughness was tested using a miniaturized loading stage. The work-of-fracture of the OPN interface was measured for different OPN formulations (monomer vs. polymer), crosslinking states, and substrate composition. Noncrosslinked OPN provided negligible adhesion on pure hydroxyapatite, whereas OPN crosslinking (by the chemical crosslinker glutaraldehyde, and TG2 enzyme) provided strong interfacial adhesion for both hydroxyapatite and dentin using monomeric and polymeric OPN. Pre-coating of the substrate beams with monomeric OPN further improved the adhesive performance of the samples, likely by allowing effective binding of this nascent OPN form to mineral/matrix components, with this pre-attachment providing a protein layer for additional crosslinking between the substrates. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc

Fracture toughness of zirconia ceramic crowns made by feather-edge tooth preparation design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirković Nemanja

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Fracture toughness determines functional crown strenght and prevents damages on ceramics during mastication. There is a lack of relevant literature data about fracture toughness of crowns made by feather-edge preparation. Mechanical testing of ceramic samples is supposed to show if feather-edge tooth preparation is a successful method for making ceramic crowns without any risk of reduction of their mechanical properties. This research was done to establish effects of feather-edge tooth preparation on fracture toughness of single zirconia ceramic crowns. Methods. The research was performed as an experimental study. Sixty (60 ceramic crowns were made on non-carious extracted human premolars. Thirty (30 crowns were made on the basis of feather-edge preparation (experimental group I. The group II included 30 crowns made on 1 mm rounded shoulder. Crowns fabrication was executed on a copy mill production system “Zirkonzahn” (Zirkonzahn GMBH, Gais, Germany. The spherical compression test was used to determine fracture toughness, using 6 mm diameter ceramic ball. Fracture load for damaging ceramic crown was recorded on a universal testing machine - Zwick, type 1464, with the speed of 0.05 mm/min. Results. The results of this research introduced significant differences between fracture toughness of ceramic samples in every examined group. However, fracture toughness of crowns from both group was above 2 000 N, what was double beyond a recommended value. The mean value of fracture toughness in the feather-edge group was 2 090 N, and in shoulder group it was 2 214 N. Conclusion. This research showed a high fracture toughness of zirconia crowns made on feather-edge preparation. The examined crowns showed a fracture resistance at a sufficient distance in relation to the minimum values of functional loads. Further research of functional loads of these crown is necessary, as well as research of marginal adaptation of cemented crowns and

Evaluation of the crack initiation of curved compact tension specimens of a Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube using the unloading compliance and direct current potential drop methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Suk; Jeong, Hyeon Cheol; Ahn, Sang Bok

2005-01-01

The Direct Current Potential Drop(DCPD) method and the Unloading Compliance(UC) method with a crack opening displacement gauge were applied simultaneously to the Zr-2.5Nb Curved Compact Tension (CCT) specimens to determine which of the two methods can precisely determine the crack initiation point and hence the crack length for evaluation of their fracture toughness. The DCPD method detected the crack initiation at a smaller load-time displacement compared to the UC method. As a verification, a direct observation of the fracture surfaces on the curved compact tension specimens was made on the CCT specimens experiencing either 0.8 to 1.0 mm load line displacement or various loads from 50% to 80% of the maximum peak load, or P max . The DCPD method is concluded to be more precise in determining the crack initiation and fracture toughness, J in Zr-2.5Nb CCT specimens than the UC method

Determination of Ductile Tearing Resistance Curve in Weld Joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marie, S.; Gilles, P.; Ould, P.

2010-01-01

Steels present in the ductile domain a tearing resistance which increase with the crack propagation up to the failure. This ductile tearing resistance is in general characterised with curves giving the variation of a global parameter (opening displacement at the crack tip delta, integral J) versus the crack extension Delta a. These global approaches depend more or less on the specimen geometry and on the type of the imposed loading. Local approaches based on the description of the ductile tearing mechanisms provide reliable solution to the transferability problem (from the lab specimen to the component) but are complex and costly to use and are not codified. These problems get worse in the case of a weld joint where no standard is available for the measurement of their ductile tearing resistance. But the welded joints are often the weak point of the structure because of greater risk of defects, the heterogeneity of the microstructure of the weld, deformation along the interface between two materials with different yield stress (mismatch).... After briefly recalling the problems of transferability of the ductile tearing resistance curves obtained on lab specimen to the case of components, this article identifies the factors complicating the determination of the toughness in the welded joints and gives recommendations for the experimental determination of ductile tearing resistance curves of welded joints

Examining Dark Triad traits in relation to mental toughness and physical activity in young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabouri, Sarah; Gerber, Markus; Sadeghi Bahmani, Dena; Lemola, Sakari; Clough, Peter J; Kalak, Nadeem; Shamsi, Mahin; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Brand, Serge

2016-01-01

The Dark Triad (DT) describes a set of three closely related personality traits: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Mental toughness (MT) refers to a psychological construct combining confidence, commitment, control, and challenge. High MT is related to greater physical activity (PA) and, relative to men, women have lower MT scores. The aims of the present study were 1) to investigate the association between DT, MT, and PA, and 2) to compare the DT, MT, and PA scores of men and women. A total of 341 adults (M=29 years; 51.6% women; range: 18-37 years) took part in the study. Participants completed a series of questionnaires assessing DT, MT, and PA. Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy were all significantly associated with higher MT scores (rs =0.45, 0.50, and 0.20, respectively). DT traits and MT were associated with more vigorous PA. Compared to men, women participants had lower scores for DT traits (overall score and psychopathy), while no differences were found for MT or PA in both sexes. DT traits, high MT, and vigorous PA are interrelated. This pattern of results might explain why, for instance, successful professional athletes can at the same time be tough and ruthless.

Estimation of fracture toughness of cast stainless steels in LWR systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, O.K.

1990-01-01

A program is being conducted to investigate the low-temperature embrittlement of cast duplex stainless steels under light water reactor (LWR) operating conditions and to evaluate possible remedies for the embrittlement problem in existing and future plants. The scope of the investigation includes the following goals: develop a methodology and correlations for predicting the toughness loss suffered by cast stainless steel components during normal and extended life of LWRs, validate the simulation of in-reactor degradation by accelerated aging, and establish the effects of key compositional and metallurgical variables on the kinetics and extent of embrittlement. Microstructural and mechanical property data are being obtained on 25 experimental heats (static-cast keel blocks and slabs) and 6 commercial heats (centrifugally cast pipes and a static-cast pump impeller and pump casing ring), as well as on reactor-aged material of CF-3, CF-8, and CF-8M grades of cast stainless steel. The ferrite content of the cast materials ranges from 3 to 30%. Charpy-impact, tensile, and J-R curve tests have been conducted on several experimental and commercial heats of cast stainless steel that were aged up to 30,000 h at temperatures of 290 to 400 degrees C. The results indicate that thermal aging at these temperatures increases the tensile strength and decreases the impact energy and fracture toughness of the steels. In general, the low-carbon CF-3 steels are the most resistant to embrittlement, and the molybdenum-containing high-carbon CF-8M steels are the least resistant. Ferrite morphology has a strong effect on the degree or extent of embrittlement, and the kinetics of embrittlement can vary significantly with small changes in the constituent elements of the cast material

Photoelastic stress analysis assisted evaluation of fracture toughness in hydrothermally aged epoxies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Pitarresi

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The present work has investigated the fracture toughness of a model DGEBA epoxy system subject to Hidro-Thermal aging. A Photoelastic Stress Analysis technique has been implemented, showing the evolution of stresses arising throughout the water uptake process due to the non-uniform swelling of the material. Gravimetric and Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analyses have further complemented the characterization, showing the onset of plasticization effects with aging. The correlation of all previous characterizations has allowed to conclude that an increase of KIC fracture toughness is obtained at the fully saturated condition. In particular Photoelasticity has also revealed the onset of relevant swelling induced stresses during the first stages of water absorption, leading to an increase of fracture toughness due to compressive stresses settling near the crack tip. A stress free condition is instead reestablished at the later stages of absorption, suggesting that the increased toughness of the saturated material is an effect of the modifications induced by aging on the polymer structure.

SITA version 0. A simulation and code testing assistant for TOUGH2 and MARNIE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seher, Holger; Navarro, Martin

2016-06-15

High quality standards have to be met by those numerical codes that are applied in long-term safety assessments for deep geological repositories for radioactive waste. The software environment SITA (''a simulation and code testing assistant for TOUGH2 and MARNIE'') has been developed by GRS in order to perform automated regression testing for the flow and transport simulators TOUGH2 and MARNIE. GRS uses the codes TOUGH2 and MARNIE in order to assess the performance of deep geological repositories for radioactive waste. With SITA, simulation results of TOUGH2 and MARNIE can be compared to analytical solutions and simulations results of other code versions. SITA uses data interfaces to operate with codes whose input and output depends on the code version. The present report is part of a wider GRS programme to assure and improve the quality of TOUGH2 and MARNIE. It addresses users as well as administrators of SITA.

Effects of Forming Process on Composite mode I Interlaminar Fracture Toughness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CHEN Xingyi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In order to compare and analyse the effect of two different kinds of forming process on composite mode I interlaminar fracture toughness, the DCB specimens were tested by using hypothesis inspeetion method.A finite element model was also used to simulate the crack propagation process.The results demonstrate that the average of mode I interlaminar fracture toughness from silicon rubber flexible mold forming is a bit higher than that from metal rigid mold forming.Howevers the variance of mode I interlaminar fracture toughness from the two groups shows no significant difference.The crack propagation process of the two forming process is similar. The established finite element model, which is identical to the test results, can predict the process of the crack expansion effectively.

Growth Curves for Girls with Turner Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Bertapelli

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to review the growth curves for Turner syndrome, evaluate the methodological and statistical quality, and suggest potential growth curves for clinical practice guidelines. The search was carried out in the databases Medline and Embase. Of 1006 references identified, 15 were included. Studies constructed curves for weight, height, weight/height, body mass index, head circumference, height velocity, leg length, and sitting height. The sample ranged between 47 and 1,565 (total = 6,273 girls aged 0 to 24 y, born between 1950 and 2006. The number of measures ranged from 580 to 9,011 (total = 28,915. Most studies showed strengths such as sample size, exclusion of the use of growth hormone and androgen, and analysis of confounding variables. However, the growth curves were restricted to height, lack of information about selection bias, limited distributional properties, and smoothing aspects. In conclusion, we observe the need to construct an international growth reference for girls with Turner syndrome, in order to provide support for clinical practice guidelines.

Effects of electric field on the fracture toughness (KIc) of ceramic PZT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goljahi, Sam; Lynch, Christopher S

2013-01-01

This work was motivated by the observation that a small percentage of the ceramic lead zirconate titanate (PZT) parts in a device application, one that requires an electrode pattern on the PZT surface, developed fatigue cracks at the edges of the electrodes; yet all of the parts were subjected to similar loading. To obtain additional information on the fracture behavior of this material, similar specimens were run at higher voltage in the laboratory under a microscope to observe the initiation and growth of the fatigue cracks. A sequence of experiments was next performed to determine whether there were fracture toughness variations that depended on material processing. Plates were cut from a single bar in different locations and the Vickers indentation technique was used to measure the relative fracture toughness as a function of position along the bar. Small variations in toughness were found, that may account for some of the devices developing fatigue cracks and not others. Fracture toughness was measured next as a function of electric field. The surface crack in flexure technique was modified to apply an electric field perpendicular to a crack. The results indicate that the fracture toughness drops under a positive electric field and increases under a negative electric field that is less than the coercive field, but as the negative coercive field is approached the fracture toughness drops. Examination of the fracture surfaces using an optical microscope and a surface profilometer reveal the initial indentation crack shape and (although less accurately) the crack shape and size at the transition from stable to unstable growth. These results are discussed in terms of a ferroelastic toughening mechanism that is dependent on electric field. (paper)

Effects of electric field on the fracture toughness (KIc) of ceramic PZT

Science.gov (United States)

Goljahi, Sam; Lynch, Christopher S.

2013-09-01

This work was motivated by the observation that a small percentage of the ceramic lead zirconate titanate (PZT) parts in a device application, one that requires an electrode pattern on the PZT surface, developed fatigue cracks at the edges of the electrodes; yet all of the parts were subjected to similar loading. To obtain additional information on the fracture behavior of this material, similar specimens were run at higher voltage in the laboratory under a microscope to observe the initiation and growth of the fatigue cracks. A sequence of experiments was next performed to determine whether there were fracture toughness variations that depended on material processing. Plates were cut from a single bar in different locations and the Vickers indentation technique was used to measure the relative fracture toughness as a function of position along the bar. Small variations in toughness were found, that may account for some of the devices developing fatigue cracks and not others. Fracture toughness was measured next as a function of electric field. The surface crack in flexure technique was modified to apply an electric field perpendicular to a crack. The results indicate that the fracture toughness drops under a positive electric field and increases under a negative electric field that is less than the coercive field, but as the negative coercive field is approached the fracture toughness drops. Examination of the fracture surfaces using an optical microscope and a surface profilometer reveal the initial indentation crack shape and (although less accurately) the crack shape and size at the transition from stable to unstable growth. These results are discussed in terms of a ferroelastic toughening mechanism that is dependent on electric field.

Toughness of submerged arc weld metals of controlled rolled NB bearing steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, T.; Shiga, A.; Kamada, A.; Tsuboi, J.

1982-01-01

The toughness and the hardness of reheated weld metals depend on the maximum reheating temperature. When the maximum reheating temperature is 500 to 700 0 C, the hardness of single pass weld metal increases and the toughness decreases because of fine Nb- and V-carbonitride precipitation. When the maximum reheating temperature is over 800 0 C, the hardness and the toughness remain almost unchanged. The stress relieving treatment of single pass weld metal at 600 0 C for 1 up to about 100 hours causes the increase in hardness and then decreases the hardness gradually. It needs over 500 hours to obtain the same hardness value as that of as-welded metal. The addition of Ti to weld metal is very effective to improve the toughness, however excess Ti increases the hardness of stress relieved weld metal by precipitating as fine Ti-carbonitride. Therefore Ti addition should be restricted within the lowest limit required to improve as-welded metal toughness. The optimum Ti content is about 0.020% in the case of weld metal of which oxygen content is 350 ppM or so. In multipass welding, the hardness of weld metal affected by subsequent weld heat cycle varies from pass to pass, because Nb and V content change with the passes as the result of the change in dilution from base metal. The most hardened zone is observed in the reheated first pass weld metal, in which Nb and V content are the highest. Good weld metal toughness would be obtained by lowering dilution from base metal and taking advantage of grain refinement by subsequent passes

On the determining role of microstructure of niobium-microalloyed steels with differences in impact toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anumolu, R.; Kumar, B. Ravi; Misra, R.D.K.; Mannering, T.; Panda, D.; Jansto, S.G.

2008-01-01

The relationship between microstructure and impact toughness was investigated for niobium-microalloyed steels with similar yield strength. The nominal steel composition was similar and any variation in processing history was unintentional. The general microstructure of the investigated steel was similar and consisted of 85% polygonal ferrite and 15% pearlite. Despite these similarities, they exhibited variation in toughness and were classified as high- and low-toughness steels. Detailed microstructural investigation including stereological analysis and electron microscopy implied that toughness is strongly influenced by mean intercept length of polygonal ferrite and pearlite colony, and their distribution, interlamellar spacing, and degenerated pearlite

On the determining role of microstructure of niobium-microalloyed steels with differences in impact toughness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anumolu, R. [Center for Structural and Functional Materials, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA 70504-4130 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504-4130 (United States); Kumar, B. Ravi [Center for Structural and Functional Materials, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA 70504-4130 (United States); Misra, R.D.K. [Center for Structural and Functional Materials, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA 70504-4130 (United States); Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504-4130 (United States)], E-mail: dmisra@louisiana.edu; Mannering, T.; Panda, D. [Nucor-Yamato Steel, P.O. Box 1228, 5929 East State Highway 18, Blytheville, AR 72316 (United States); Jansto, S.G. [Reference Metals, 1000 Old Pond Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017 (United States)

2008-09-15

The relationship between microstructure and impact toughness was investigated for niobium-microalloyed steels with similar yield strength. The nominal steel composition was similar and any variation in processing history was unintentional. The general microstructure of the investigated steel was similar and consisted of 85% polygonal ferrite and 15% pearlite. Despite these similarities, they exhibited variation in toughness and were classified as high- and low-toughness steels. Detailed microstructural investigation including stereological analysis and electron microscopy implied that toughness is strongly influenced by mean intercept length of polygonal ferrite and pearlite colony, and their distribution, interlamellar spacing, and degenerated pearlite.

Conversion of fracture toughness testing values from small scale three point bending test specimens to small scale yielding state (SSY) by elastic-plastic stress analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikonen, K.

1993-07-01

The report describes the work performed for achieving readiness to calculate fracture toughness dependence on dimension effects and loading conditions in fracture test specimens and real structures. In the report two- and three-dimensional computer codes developed and calculational methods applied are described. One of the main goals is to converse fracture toughness from small scale three point bending test specimens to case of a depth crack in plane strain i.e. to small scale yielding state (SSY) by numerical elastic-plastic stress analysis. Thickness effect of a test specimens and effect of a crack depth are separately investigated. Tests of three point bending specimens with and without sidegrooves and curved crack front are numerically simulated and experimental and computed results are compared. J-integral is calculated along crack front and also from force-deflection dependence of the beam. For the analyses the computing system was thoroughly automatized. Measuring capacity of three point bending test specimens was tried to evaluate. (orig.) (7 refs., 54 figs.)

On 'lower bound crack resistance curves' as material law for the safety assessment of components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roos, E.; Silcher, H.; Eisele, U.

1991-01-01

Experimental fracture-mechanics investigations were carried out on large scale specimens. The specimen geometries and the crack depth ratio, a/W, in a parameter field were varied. Three materials of different toughness were chosen for the specimens. Their load-deformation behaviour, crack resistance curves, stretched zones Δa i and crack initiation values J i were determined and compared with the results from CT25 specimens. Numerical finite-element calculations were made to determine the state of stres in the specimens and the size of the plastic zones. (orig.)

Effect of Precipitation on Cryogenic Toughness in Isothermally Aged Austenitic Stainless Steel

Science.gov (United States)

Saucedo-Muñoz, M. L.; Lopez-Hirata, V. M.; Avila-Davila, E. O.; Villegas-Cardenas, J. D.; Gonzalez-Velazquez, J. L.

2017-03-01

The effect of grain-boundary precipitates on cryogenic impact toughness of two corrosion steels (standard AISI 316 and a steel with a nitrogen additive) is studied. The steels are aged at 600 - 900°C with a hold of up to 1000 min. The KCV impact toughness at -196°C is determined. It is shown that the impact toughness of the nitrogen-containing steel decreases under cooling after the aging at 700 and 800°C more considerably than that of steel 316 after aging at 800 and 900°C. The causes of the embrittlement of the nitrogen-containing steel are determined.

Fracture toughness of copper-base alloys for ITER applications: A preliminary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alexander, D.J.; Zinkle, S.J.; Rowcliffe, A.F. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

1997-04-01

Oxide-dispersion strengthened copper alloys and a precipitation-hardened copper-nickel-beryllium alloy showed a significant reduction in toughness at elevated temperature (250{degrees}C). This decrease in toughness was much larger than would be expected from the relatively modest changes in the tensile properties over the same temperature range. However, a copper-chromium-zirconium alloy strengthened by precipitation showed only a small decrease in toughness at the higher temperatures. The embrittled alloys showed a transition in fracture mode, from transgranular microvoid coalescence at room temperature to intergranular with localized ductility at high temperatures. The Cu-Cr-Zr alloy maintained the ductile microvoid coalescence failure mode at all test temperatures.

Performance and biocompatibility of extremely tough alginate/polyacrylamide hydrogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Darnell, Max C; Sun, Jeong-Yun; Mehta, Manav; Johnson, Christopher; Arany, Praveen R; Suo, Zhigang; Mooney, David J

2013-11-01

Although hydrogels now see widespread use in a host of applications, low fracture toughness and brittleness have limited their more broad use. As a recently described interpenetrating network (IPN) of alginate and polyacrylamide demonstrated a fracture toughness of ≈ 9000 J/m(2), we sought to explore the biocompatibility and maintenance of mechanical properties of these hydrogels in cell culture and in vivo conditions. These hydrogels can sustain a compressive strain of over 90% with minimal loss of Young's Modulus as well as minimal swelling for up to 50 days of soaking in culture conditions. Mouse mesenchymal stem cells exposed to the IPN gel-conditioned media maintain high viability, and although cells exposed to conditioned media demonstrate slight reductions in proliferation and metabolic activity (WST assay), these effects are abrogated in a dose-dependent manner. Implantation of these IPN hydrogels into subcutaneous tissue of rats for 8 weeks led to mild fibrotic encapsulation and minimal inflammatory response. These results suggest the further exploration of extremely tough alginate/PAAM IPN hydrogels as biomaterials. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Friction weld ductility and toughness as influenced by inclusion morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eberhard, B.J.; Schaaf, B.W. Jr.; Wilson, A.D.

1983-01-01

Friction welding consistently provides high strength, freedom from fusion defects, and high productivity. However, friction welds in carbon steel exhibit impact toughness and bend ductility that are significantly lower than that of the base metal. The inclusion content and morphology were suspected to be major contributors to the reduction in weld ductility. For this reason, four electric furnace steels - three types of ASTM A516 Grade 70, and an ASTM A737 Grade B steel - were investigated. Friction welds were made by both the inertia and direct drive process variations and the welds evaluated. It was shown that friction welds of inclusion-controlled steels exhibited much improved toughness and bend ductility were demonstrated. Upper shelf impact energy was equivalent to or greater than that of the base metal in the short transverse direction. The transition temperature range for all four materials was shifted to higher temperatures for both types of friction welds. Under the conditions of this test, the direct drive friction welds showed a greater shift than the inertia friction welds. The ductility and toughness of welds in A737 Grade B steel were superior to welds in A516 Grade 70 steels, reflecting the superior properties of the base metal. Welds of the A737 material had usable Charpy V-notch impact toughness of 20 to 30 ft-lb (27 to 41 J) at temperatures as low as -40 0 F (-40 0 C). All the welds had an acicular structure. The differences in properties between the inertia and direct drive friction welds appear associated with microstructural variations. These variations resulted from the different heat inputs and cooling rates of the two process variations were demonstrated. The beneficial effects of inclusion control on toughness and ductility. In addition, it also indicates that additional improvements may be attainable through control of the as-welded microstructure by process manipulation

The influence of composition, annealing treatment, and texture on the fracture toughness of Ti-5Al-2.5Sn plate at cryogenic temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Vanstone, R. H.; Shannon, J. L., Jr.; Pierce, W. S.; Low, J. R., Jr.

1977-01-01

The plane strain fracture toughness K sub Ic and conventional tensile properties of two commercially produced one-inch thick Ti-5Al-2.5Sn plates were determined at cryogenic temperatures. One plate was extra-low interstitial (ELI) grade, the other normal interstitial. Portions of each plate were mill annealed at 1088 K (1500 F) followed by either air cooling or furnace cooling. The tensile properties, flow curves, and K sub Ic of these plates were determined at 295 K (room temperature), 77 K (liquid nitrogen temperature), and 20 K (liquid hydrogen temperature).

Emotions & Relationships: Dealing with the Tough Stuff

Science.gov (United States)

Emotions & Relationships: Dealing with the Tough Stuff; emotional health; emotional health; emotional health article; emotional health articles; best way to deal with emotions; best ways to deal with relationships; how to build relationships; how to strengthen relationships

TOUGH2: A general-purpose numerical simulator for multiphase nonisothermal flows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruess, K. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)

1991-06-01

Numerical simulators for multiphase fluid and heat flows in permeable media have been under development at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory for more than 10 yr. Real geofluids contain noncondensible gases and dissolved solids in addition to water, and the desire to model such `compositional` systems led to the development of a flexible multicomponent, multiphase simulation architecture known as MULKOM. The design of MULKOM was based on the recognition that the mass-and energy-balance equations for multiphase fluid and heat flows in multicomponent systems have the same mathematical form, regardless of the number and nature of fluid components and phases present. Application of MULKOM to different fluid mixtures, such as water and air, or water, oil, and gas, is possible by means of appropriate `equation-of-state` (EOS) modules, which provide all thermophysical and transport parameters of the fluid mixture and the permeable medium as a function of a suitable set of primary thermodynamic variables. Investigations of thermal and hydrologic effects from emplacement of heat-generating nuclear wastes into partially water-saturated formations prompted the development and release of a specialized version of MULKOM for nonisothermal flow of water and air, named TOUGH. TOUGH is an acronym for `transport of unsaturated groundwater and heat` and is also an allusion to the tuff formations at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The TOUGH2 code is intended to supersede TOUGH. It offers all the capabilities of TOUGH and includes a considerably more general subset of MULKOM modules with added capabilities. The paper briefly describes the simulation methodology and user features.

Application of the master curve approach to fracture mechanics characterisation of reactor pressure vessel steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viehrig, Hans-Werner; Zurbuchen, Conrad; Kalkhof, Dietmar

2010-06-01

The paper presents results of a research project founded by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Inspectorate concerning the application of the Master Curve approach in nuclear reactor pressure vessels integrity assessment. The main focus is put on the applicability of pre-cracked 0.4T-SE(B) specimens with short cracks, the verification of transferability of MC reference temperatures T 0 from 0.4T thick specimens to larger specimens, ascertaining the influence of the specimen type and the test temperature on T 0 , investigation of the applicability of specimens with electroerosive notches for the fracture toughness testing, and the quantification of the loading rate and specimen type on T 0 . The test material is a forged ring of steel 22 NiMoCr 3-7 of the uncommissioned German pressurized water reactor Biblis C. SE(B) specimens with different overall sizes (specimen thickness B=0.4T, 0.8T, 1.6T, 3T, fatigue pre-cracked to a/W=0.5 and 20% side-grooved) have comparable T 0 . T 0 varies within the 1σ scatter band. The testing of C(T) specimens results in higher T 0 compared to SE(B) specimens. It can be stated that except for the lowest test temperature allowed by ASTM E1921-09a, the T 0 values evaluated with specimens tested at different test temperatures are consistent. The testing in the temperature range of T 0 ± 20 K is recommended because it gave the highest accuracy. Specimens with a/W=0.3 and a/W=0.5 crack length ratios yield comparable T 0 . The T 0 of EDM notched specimens lie 41 K up to 54 K below the T 0 of fatigue pre-cracked specimens. A significant influence of the loading rate on the MC T 0 was observed. The HSK AN 425 test procedure is a suitable method to evaluate dynamic MC tests. The reference temperature T 0 is eligible to define a reference temperature RT To for the ASME-KIC reference curve as recommended in the ASME Code Case N-629. An additional margin has to be defined for the specific type of transient to be considered in the RPV integrity assessment

Fracture toughness of welded joints of ASTM A543 steel plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Susukida, H.; Uebayashi, T.; Yoshida, K.; Ando, Y.

1977-01-01

Fracture toughness and weldability tests have been performed on a high strength steel which is a modification of ASTM A543 Grade B Class 1 steel, with a view to using it for nuclear reactor containment vessels. The results showed that fracture toughness of welded joints of ASTM A543 modified high strength steel is superior and the steel is suitable for manufacturing the containment vessels

Acoustic emission measurements during impacts tests for determining ductile fracture data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richter, H.

2000-09-01

The document reports work for further development of methods and tests to obtain better information on the crack initiation toughness (J id ) under impact loading conditions, by acoustic emission measurements. The applicability of the acoustic emission tests for the given purpose was proven by instrumented Charpy tests using modified ISO-V specimens. The physical crack initiation toughness served as the reference value for reliable evaluation of the characteristic data obtained. This reference value is derived from the crack resistance curve determined by the multi-specimen cleavage fracture method combined with data from measurements of the stretching zone width. Verification of the acoustic emission-defined initiation value included a variety of tests, as e.g. additional dynamic single-specimen methods (L-COD, magnetic emission), and supplementary tests (D3PB, pendulum impact testing machine). The test materials are various steels with different strength/toughness properties. (orig./CB) [de

During early and mid-adolescence, greater mental toughness is related to increased sleep quality and quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Serge; Kalak, Nadeem; Gerber, Markus; Clough, Peter J; Lemola, Sakari; Pühse, Uwe; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to explore the association between mental toughness, subjective sleep, physical activity, and quality of life during early and mid-adolescence. A total of 1475 participants (mean age = 13.4 years; range: 11-16 years) took part in the study. They completed questionnaires related to mental toughness, physical activity, subjective sleep, and quality of life. Greater mental toughness was related to more favorable quality of life and increased subjective sleep. Mental toughness was not related to physical activity. Increased mental toughness, favorable quality of life, and sleep are related during early and mid-adolescence. Against our expectations, mental toughness was not related to physical activity. © The Author(s) 2014.

Interrelation of material microstructure, ultrasonic factors, and fracture toughness of two phase titanium alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Vary, A.; Hull, D. R.

1982-01-01

The pivotal role of an alpha-beta phase microstructure in governing fracture toughness in a titanium alloy, Ti-662, is demonstrated. The interrelation of microstructure and fracture toughness is demonstrated using ultrasonic measurement techniques originally developed for nondestructive evaluation and material property characterization. It is shown that the findings determined from ultrasonic measurements agree with conclusions based on metallurgical, metallographic, and fractographic observations concerning the importance of alpha-beta morphology in controlling fracture toughness in two phase titanium alloys.

A New Maraging Stainless Steel with Excellent Strength-Toughness-Corrosion Synergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jialong; Wang, Wei; Babar Shahzad, M; Yan, Wei; Shan, Yiyin; Jiang, Zhouhua; Yang, Ke

2017-11-10

A new maraging stainless steel with superior strength-toughness-corrosion synergy has been developed based on an innovative concept of alloy design. The high strength-toughness combination is achieved by forming dispersive nano-sized intermetallic compounds in the soft lath martensitic matrix with a slight amount of residual austenite. The good corrosion resistance is guaranteed by exactly controlling the Co content based on understanding the synergistic effect between Co and Cr. The fine structure characteristics of two dominant strengthening precipitations including Ni₃Ti and Mo-rich phases were finely characterized associated with transmission electron microscope (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT) analyses. The relationship among microstructure, strength and toughness is discussed. The precipitation mechanism of different precipitates in the new maraging stainless steel is revealed based on the APT analysis.

Multiscale Polymer Composites: A Review of the Interlaminar Fracture Toughness Improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vishwesh Dikshit

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Composite materials are prone to delamination as they are weaker in the thickness direction. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs are introduced as a multiscale reinforcement into the fiber reinforced polymer composites to suppress the delamination phenomenon. This review paper presents the detailed progress made by the scientific and research community to-date in improving the Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness (ILFT by various methodologies including the effect of multiscale reinforcement. Methods of measuring the Mode I and Mode II fracture toughness of the composites along with the solutions to improve them are presented. The use of different methodologies and approaches along with their performance in enhancing the fracture toughness of the composites is summarized. The current state of polymer-fiber-nanotube composites and their future perspective are also deliberated.

Investigation of Ductile-to-Brittle Transition of RPV Materials by using the Pre-cracked Charpy Impact Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Ho Jin; Lee, Bong Sang; Hong, Jun Hwa

2005-01-01

Much recent work in the field of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics has been directed to developing a mechanics-based relationship between the onset of cleavage fracture in structural components and that of Charpy V-notch specimens. The assessing processes of the cracks located in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is described in the ASME code Sec. III, App. G and Sec. XI, App. A. The RTNDT obtained from the impact test using standard Charpy V-notch (CVN) specimens is used as a reference temperature to assess the integrity of RPV materials. The initial RTNDT, for the Linde 80 weld, was determined by the 67.8J Charpy impact energy instead of drop weight test. Generally, Linde 80 weld has low upper-shelf energy. The initial RTNDT obtained from the Charpy impact energy curve has been considered overly conservative. Recently, master curve method has been investigated to assess the integrity of RPV materials directly. The initial RTT0 obtained from the master curve method is considered more realistic than the initial RTNDT obtained from impact test for low upper-shelf fracture toughness RPV materials. In this research, the correlation of transition regions between the master curves and the Charpy impact energy curves was investigated using the dynamic fracture toughness curve and the impact energy curve obtained from the impact test of pre-cracked Charpy (PCC) specimens. For the low toughness RPV material the ductile-to-brittle transition corresponding to the static master curve was anticipated using the invested correlation

Determination of fracture toughness of human permanent and primary enamel using an indentation microfracture method.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi-Sakai, Sachiko; Sakai, Jun; Sakamoto, Makoto; Endo, Hideaki

2012-09-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the fracture toughness and Vickers microhardness number of permanent and primary human enamel using the indentation microfracture method. Crack resistance and a parameter indirectly related to fracture toughness were measured in 48 enamel specimens from 16 permanent teeth and 12 enamel specimens obtained from six primary teeth. The Vickers microhardness number of the middle portion was greater than the upper portion in primary enamel. The fracture toughness was highest in the middle portion of permanent enamel, because fracture toughness greatly depends upon microstructure. These findings suggest that primary teeth are not miniature permanent teeth but have specific and characteristic mechanical properties.

The effect of crack instability/stability on fracture toughness of brittle materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baratta, F.I.

1997-01-01

This paper summarizes three recent experimental works coauthored by the present author regarding the effect of crack instability/stability on fracture toughness, and also includes the necessary formulae for predicting stability. Two recent works have shown that unstable crack extension resulted in apparent increases in fracture toughness compared to that determined during stable crack growth. In the first investigation a quasi-brittle polymer, polymethylmethacrylate, was examined. In the second, a more brittle metallic material, tungsten, was tested. In both cases the transition from unstable to stable behavior was predicted based on stability analyses. The third investigation was conducted on a truly brittle ceramic material, hot pressed silicon nitride. These three papers showed that fracture toughness test results conducted on brittle materials vary according to whether the material fractures in an unstable or stable manner. Suggestions for achieving this important yet difficult phenomenon of stable crack growth, which is necessary when determining the fracture toughness variation occurring during unstable/stable crack advance, are presented, as well as recommendations for further research

Process development for 9Cr nanostructured ferritic alloy (NFA) with high fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byun, Thak Sang; Yoon, Ji Hyun; Hoelzer, David T.; Lee, Yong Bok; Kang, Suk Hoon; Maloy, Stuart A.

2014-01-01

This article is to summarize the process development and key characterization results for the newly-developed Fe–9Cr based nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) with high fracture toughness. One of the major drawbacks from pursuing ultra-high strength in the past development of NFAs is poor fracture toughness at high temperatures although a high fracture toughness is essential to prevent cracking during manufacturing and to mitigate or delay irradiation-induced embrittlement in irradiation environments. A study on fracture mechanism using the NFA 14YWT found that the low-energy grain boundary decohesion in fracture process at a high temperature (>200 °C) resulted in low fracture toughness. Lately, efforts have been devoted to explore an integrated process to enhance grain bonding. Two base materials were produced through mechanical milling and hot extrusion and designated as 9YWTV-PM1 and 9YWTV-PM2. Isothermal annealing (IA) and controlled rolling (CR) treatments in two phase region were used to enhance diffusion across the interfaces and boundaries. The PM2 alloy after CR treatments showed high fracture toughness (K JQ ) at represented temperatures: 240–280 MPa √m at room temperature and 160–220 MPa √m at 500 °C, which indicates that the goal of 100 MPa √m over possible nuclear application temperature range has been well achieved. Furthermore, it is also confirmed by comparison that the CR treatments on 9YWTV-PM2 result in high fracture toughness similar to or higher than those of the conventional ferritic–martensitic steels such as HT9 and NF616

Lung function in North American Indian children: reference standards for spirometry, maximal expiratory flow volume curves, and peak expiratory flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Wall, M A; Olson, D; Bonn, B A; Creelman, T; Buist, A S

1982-02-01

Reference standards of lung function was determined in 176 healthy North American Indian children (94 girls, 82 boys) 7 to 18 yr of age. Spirometry, maximal expiratory flow volume curves, and peak expiratory flow rate were measured using techniques and equipment recommended by the American Thoracic Society. Standing height was found to be an accurate predictor of lung function, and prediction equations for each lung function variable are presented using standing height as the independent variable. Lung volumes and expiratory flow rates in North American Indian children were similar to those previously reported for white and Mexican-American children but were greater than those in black children. In both boys and girls, lung function increased in a curvilinear fashion. Volume-adjusted maximal expiratory flow rates after expiring 50 or 75% of FVC tended to decrease in both sexes as age and height increased. Our maximal expiratory flow volume curve data suggest that as North American Indian children grow, lung volume increases at a slightly faster rate than airway size does.

Controlling coaching and athlete thriving in elite adolescent netballers: The buffering effect of athletes' mental toughness.

Science.gov (United States)

Gucciardi, Daniel F; Stamatis, Andreas; Ntoumanis, Nikos

2017-08-01

The purposes of this study were to examine the association between controlling coach behaviours and athlete experiences of thriving and test the buffering effect of mental toughness on this relation. A cross-sectional survey. In total, 232 female netballers aged 11 to 17 years (14.97+1.52) with between 1 and 15 years of experience in their sport (7.50+2.28) completed measures of controlling coach interpersonal style, mental toughness and thriving. Latent moderated structural models indicated that (i) controlling coach behaviours were inversely related with experiences of vitality and learning; (ii) mental toughness was positively associated with psychological experiences of both dimensions of thriving; and (iii) mental toughness moderated the effect of coach's controlling interpersonal style on learning but not vitality experiences, such that the effect was weaker for individuals who reported higher levels of mental toughness. This study extends past work and theory to show that mental toughness may enable athletes to counteract the potentially deleterious effect of controlling coach interpersonal styles. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of degradation on the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of a steel pressure-vessel weld metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, S.J.; Knott, J.F.

2003-01-01

A degradation procedure has been devised to simulate the effect of neutron irradiation on the mechanical properties of a steel pressure-vessel weld metal. The procedure combines the application of cold prestrain together with an embrittling heat treatment to produce an increase in yield stress, a decrease in strain hardening rate, and an increased propensity for brittle intergranular fracture. Fracture tests were carried out using blunt-notch four-point-bend specimens in slow bend over a range of temperatures and the brittle/ductile transition was shown to increase by approximately 110 deg. C as a result of the degradation. Fractographic analysis of specimens broken at low temperatures showed about 30% intergranular failure in combination with transgranular cleavage. Predictions have been made of the ductile-brittle transition curves for the weld metal (sharp crack) fracture toughness in degraded and non-degraded states, based on the notched-bar test results and on finite element analyses of the stress distributions ahead of the notches and sharp cracks. The ductile-brittle transition temperature shift (ΔT=110 deg. C) between non-degraded and degraded weld metal at a notch opening displacement of 0.31 mm was combined with the Ritchie, Knott and Rice (RKR) model to predict an equivalent shift of 115 deg. C for sharp-crack specimens at a toughness level of 70 MN/m 3/2

Improved capacitive melting curve measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebedash, Alexander; Tuoriniemi, Juha; Pentti, Elias; Salmela, Anssi

2009-01-01

Sensitivity of the capacitive method for determining the melting pressure of helium can be enhanced by loading the empty side of the capacitor with helium at a pressure nearly equal to that desired to be measured and by using a relatively thin and flexible membrane in between. This way one can achieve a nanobar resolution at the level of 30 bar, which is two orders of magnitude better than that of the best gauges with vacuum reference. This extends the applicability of melting curve thermometry to lower temperatures and would allow detecting tiny anomalies in the melting pressure, which must be associated with any phenomena contributing to the entropy of the liquid or solid phases. We demonstrated this principle in measurements of the crystallization pressure of isotopic helium mixtures at millikelvin temperatures by using partly solid pure 4 He as the reference substance providing the best possible universal reference pressure. The achieved sensitivity was good enough for melting curve thermometry on mixtures down to 100 μK. Similar system can be used on pure isotopes by virtue of a blocked capillary giving a stable reference condition with liquid slightly below the melting pressure in the reference volume. This was tested with pure 4 He at temperatures 0.08-0.3 K. To avoid spurious heating effects, one must carefully choose and arrange any dielectric materials close to the active capacitor. We observed some 100 pW loading at moderate excitation voltages.

The dose dependence of fracture toughness Of F82H steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokolov, M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Div., TN (United States); Tanigawa, H.; Ando, M.; Shiba, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Naga-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Odette, G. [UCSB, Santa-Barbara, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering UCSB, AK (United States); Hirose, T. [Blanket Engineering Group, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Ibaraki (Japan); Klueh, R.L. [Oak Ridge Noational Laboratory, TN (United States)

2007-07-01

Full text of publication follows: The ferritic-martensitic steel F82H is a primary candidate low-activation material for fusion applications, and it is being investigated in the joint U.S. Department of Energy-Japan Atomic Energy Agency. As a part of this program, several capsules containing fracture toughness specimens were irradiated in High-Flux Isotope Reactor. These specimens were irradiated to a wide range of doses from 3.5 to 25 dpa. The range of irradiation temperature was from 250 deg. C to 500 deg. C. This paper summarizes the changes in fracture toughness transition temperature and decrease in the ductile fracture toughness as result of various irradiation conditions. It is shown that in the 3.5 to 25 dpa dose range, irradiation temperature plays the key rote in determination of the shift of the transition temperature. Highest embrittlement observed at 250 deg.C and the lowest at 500 deg. C. At a given irradiation temperature, shift of the fracture toughness transition temperature increases slightly with dose within the studied dose range. It appears that main gain in transition temperature shift occurred during initial {approx}5 dpa of irradiation. The present data are compared to the available published trends. (authors)

A Jeziorski-Monkhorst fully uncontracted multi-reference perturbative treatment. I. Principles, second-order versions, and tests on ground state potential energy curves

Science.gov (United States)

Giner, Emmanuel; Angeli, Celestino; Garniron, Yann; Scemama, Anthony; Malrieu, Jean-Paul

2017-06-01

The present paper introduces a new multi-reference perturbation approach developed at second order, based on a Jeziorski-Mokhorst expansion using individual Slater determinants as perturbers. Thanks to this choice of perturbers, an effective Hamiltonian may be built, allowing for the dressing of the Hamiltonian matrix within the reference space, assumed here to be a CAS-CI. Such a formulation accounts then for the coupling between the static and dynamic correlation effects. With our new definition of zeroth-order energies, these two approaches are strictly size-extensive provided that local orbitals are used, as numerically illustrated here and formally demonstrated in the Appendix. Also, the present formalism allows for the factorization of all double excitation operators, just as in internally contracted approaches, strongly reducing the computational cost of these two approaches with respect to other determinant-based perturbation theories. The accuracy of these methods has been investigated on ground-state potential curves up to full dissociation limits for a set of six molecules involving single, double, and triple bond breaking together with an excited state calculation. The spectroscopic constants obtained with the present methods are found to be in very good agreement with the full configuration interaction results. As the present formalism does not use any parameter or numerically unstable operation, the curves obtained with the two methods are smooth all along the dissociation path.

Effect of hydrogen on the fracture toughness of 17-4 PH stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capeletti, T.L.

1976-01-01

Fracture toughness (K/sub c/) of 17-4 PH stainless steel decreased significantly with increased hydrogen test pressure for a variety of heat treatment conditions: solution annealed, underaged, peak-aged, and overaged. Minimum toughness (13 MPa√m) was obtained with peak-aged samples tested in 69.5-MPa hydrogen; toughness was maximum (100 MPa√m) for samples tested in helium. Aging treatments increased the hardness from 28 R/sub c/ for solution-annealed material to 42 R/c/ for peak-aged material and correspondingly decreased the fracture toughness in high-pressure hydrogen (K/sub H/) from 31 to 13 MPa√m. However, increased hardness had no substantial effect on the K/sub c/ in helium. Fracture mechanism changed from predominantly ductile rupture in helium to cleavage in 69.5-MPa hydrogen, with mixed-mode fractures at lower hydrogen pressure (3.5-MPa). On the basis of these data, 17-4 PH stainless steel is not recommended for hydrogen service

Comparison of ASME pressure–temperature limits on the fracture probability for a pressurized water reactor pressure vessel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, Hsoung-Wei; Huang, Chin-Cheng

2017-01-01

Highlights: • P-T limits based on ASME K_I_a curve, K_I_C curve and RI method are presented. • Probabilistic and deterministic methods are used to evaluate P-T limits on RPV. • The feasibility of substituting P-T curves with more operational is demonstrated. • Warm-prestressing effect is critical in determining the fracture probability. - Abstract: The ASME Code Section XI-Appendix G defines the normal reactor startup (heat-up) and shut-down (cool-down) operation limits according to the fracture toughness requirement of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) materials. This paper investigates the effects of different pressure-temperature limit operations on structural integrity of a Taiwan domestic pressurized water reactor (PWR) pressure vessel. Three kinds of pressure-temperature limits based on different fracture toughness requirements – the K_I_a fracture toughness curve of ASME Section XI-Appendix G before 1998 editions, the K_I_C fracture toughness curve of ASME Section XI-Appendix G after 2001 editions, and the risk-informed revision method supplemented in ASME Section XI-Appendix G after 2013 editions, respectively, are established as the loading conditions. A series of probabilistic fracture mechanics analyses for the RPV are conducted employing ORNL’s FAVOR code considering various radiation embrittlement levels under these pressure-temperature limit conditions. It is found that the pressure-temperature operation limits which provide more operational flexibility may lead to higher fracture risks to the RPV. The cladding-induced shallow surface breaking flaws are the most critical and dominate the fracture probability of the RPV under pressure-temperature limit transients. Present study provides a risk-informed reference for the operation safety and regulation viewpoint of PWRs in Taiwan.

Rapid estimation of fatigue entropy and toughness in metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liakat, M.; Khonsari, M.M., E-mail: khonsari@me.lsu.edu

2014-10-15

Highlights: • A correlation is developed to predict fatigue entropy and toughness of metals. • Predictions are made based on the thermal response of the materials. • The trend of hysteresis energy and temperature evolutions is discussed. • Predicted results are found to be in good agreement to those measured. - Abstract: An analytical model and an experimental procedure are presented for estimating the rate and accumulation of thermodynamic entropy and fatigue toughness in metals subjected to cyclic uniaxial tension–compression tests. Entropy and plastic strain energy generations are predicted based on the thermal response of a specimen at different levels of material damage. Fatigue tests are performed with cylindrical dogbone specimens made of tubular low-carbon steel 1018 and solid medium-carbon steel 1045, API 5L X52, and Al 6061. The evolution of the plastic strain energy generation, temperature, and thermal response throughout a fatigue process are presented and discussed. Predicted entropy accumulation and fatigue toughness obtained from the proposed method are found to be in good agreement to those obtained using a load cell and an extensometer over the range of experimental and environmental conditions considered.

Rapid estimation of fatigue entropy and toughness in metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liakat, M.; Khonsari, M.M.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A correlation is developed to predict fatigue entropy and toughness of metals. • Predictions are made based on the thermal response of the materials. • The trend of hysteresis energy and temperature evolutions is discussed. • Predicted results are found to be in good agreement to those measured. - Abstract: An analytical model and an experimental procedure are presented for estimating the rate and accumulation of thermodynamic entropy and fatigue toughness in metals subjected to cyclic uniaxial tension–compression tests. Entropy and plastic strain energy generations are predicted based on the thermal response of a specimen at different levels of material damage. Fatigue tests are performed with cylindrical dogbone specimens made of tubular low-carbon steel 1018 and solid medium-carbon steel 1045, API 5L X52, and Al 6061. The evolution of the plastic strain energy generation, temperature, and thermal response throughout a fatigue process are presented and discussed. Predicted entropy accumulation and fatigue toughness obtained from the proposed method are found to be in good agreement to those obtained using a load cell and an extensometer over the range of experimental and environmental conditions considered

Effects of consolidation temperature, strength and microstructure on fracture toughness of nanostructured ferritic alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miao, P.; Odette, G.R.; Yamamoto, T.; Alinger, M.; Hoelzer, D.; Gragg, D.

2007-01-01

Fully consolidated nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) were prepared by attritor milling pre-alloyed Fe-14Cr-3W-0.4Ti and 0.3 wt% Y 2 O 3 powders, followed by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) at 1000 o C or 1150 o C at 200 MPa for 4 h. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed similar bimodal distributions of fine and coarse ferrite grains in both cases. However, as expected, the alloy microhardness decreased with increasing in HIPing temperature. Three point bend tests on single edge notched specimens, with a nominal root radius ρ = 0.15 mm, were used to measure the notch fracture toughness, K ρ , as a function of test temperature. The K ρ curves were found to be similar for both processing conditions. It appears that the coarser ferrite grains control cleavage fracture, in a way that is independent of alloy strength and HIPing temperature

Fracture toughness measurements of WC-based hard metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prakash, L.; Albert, B.

1983-01-01

The fracture toughness of WC-based cemented carbides was determined by different methods. The values obtained are dependent on the procedure of measurement. Each method thoughness of hard metals mutually. (orig.) [de

Mental Toughness in Education: Exploring Relationships with Attainment, Attendance, Behaviour and Peer Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

St Clair-Thompson, Helen; Bugler, Myfanwy; Robinson, Jamey; Clough, Peter; McGeown, Sarah P.; Perry, John

2015-01-01

Mental toughness has frequently been associated with successful performance in sport; however, recent research suggests that it may also be related to academic performance in Higher Education. In a series of three exploratory studies, we examined the relationship between mental toughness and different aspects of educational performance in…

Characterization of KS-material by means of J-R-curves especially using the partial unloading technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voss, B.; Blauel, J.G.; Schmitt, W.

1983-01-01

Essential components of nuclear reactor systems are fabricated from materials of high thoughness to exclude brittle failure. With increasing load, a crack tip will blunt, a plastic zone will be formed, voids may nucleate and coalesce thus initiating stable crack extension when the crack driving parameter, e.g. J, exceeds the initiation value Jsub(i). Further stable crack growth will occur with further increasing J prior to complete failure of the structure. The specific material resistance against crack extension is characterized by J resistance curves Jsub(R)=J(Δa). ASTM provides a standard to determine the initiation toughness Jsub(Ic) from a Jsub(R)-curve [1] and a tentative standard for determining the Jsub(R)-curve by a single specimen test [2]. To generate a Jsub(R)-curve values for the crack driving parameter J and the corresponding stable crack growth Δa have to be measured. Besides the multiple specimen technique [1], the potential drop and especially the partial unloading compliance method [2] are used to measure stable crack growth. Some special problems and some results for pressure vessel steels are discussed in this paper. (orig./RW)

Processing of a new high strength high toughness steel with duplex microstructure (Ferrite + Austenite)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martis, Codrick J.; Putatunda, Susil K.; Boileau, James

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► This new steel has exceptional combination of high strength and fracture toughness. ► Austempering treatment resulted in a very fine scale bainitic ferrite microstructure. ► As the austempering temperature increases yield strength and toughness decreases. ► Maximum fracture toughness of 105 MPa √m is obtained after austempering at 371 °C. ► A relationship between fracture toughness and the parameter σ y (X γ C γ ) 1/2 was observed. - Abstract: In this investigation a new third generation advanced high strength steel (AHSS) has been developed. This steel was synthesized by austempering of a low carbon and low alloy steel with high silicon content. The influence of austempering temperature on the microstructure and the mechanical properties including the fracture toughness of this steel was also examined. Compact tension and cylindrical tensile specimens were prepared from a low carbon low alloy steel and were initially austenitized at 927 °C for 2 h and then austempered in the temperature range between 371 °C and 399 °C to produce different microstructures. The microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and optical metallography. Test results show that the austempering heat treatment has resulted in a microstructure consisting of very fine scale bainitic ferrite and austenite. A combination of very high tensile strength of 1388 MPa and fracture toughness of 105 MPa √m was obtained after austempering at 371 °C

Examining Dark Triad traits in relation to mental toughness and physical activity in young adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabouri S

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Sarah Sabouri,1 Markus Gerber,2 Dena Sadeghi Bahmani,3 Sakari Lemola,4 Peter J Clough,5 Nadeem Kalak,3 Mahin Shamsi,1 Edith Holsboer-Trachsler,3 Serge Brand2,3 1Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, AllamehTabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran; 2Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Sport Science Section, University of Basel, 3Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders, Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, 4Faculty of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; 5Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK Objective: The Dark Triad (DT describes a set of three closely related personality traits: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Mental toughness (MT refers to a psychological construct combining confidence, commitment, control, and challenge. High MT is related to greater physical activity (PA and, relative to men, women have lower MT scores. The aims of the present study were 1 to investigate the association between DT, MT, and PA, and 2 to compare the DT, MT, and PA scores of men and women.Methods: A total of 341 adults (M=29 years; 51.6% women; range: 18–37 years took part in the study. Participants completed a series of questionnaires assessing DT, MT, and PA.Results: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy were all significantly associated with higher MT scores (rs =0.45, 0.50, and 0.20, respectively. DT traits and MT were associated with more vigorous PA. Compared to men, women participants had lower scores for DT traits (overall score and psychopathy, while no differences were found for MT or PA in both sexes.Conclusion: DT traits, high MT, and vigorous PA are interrelated. This pattern of results might explain why, for instance, successful professional athletes can at the same time be tough and ruthless. Keywords: dark triad, mental toughness, physical activity, young adults, sex

Impact Toughness of Subzones in the Intercritical Heat-Affected Zone of Low-Carbon Bainitic Steel.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhenshun; Zhao, Xuemin; Shan, Dongri

2018-06-06

The subzones of the intercritical heat-affected zone (IC HAZ) of low-carbon bainitic steel were simulated by using a Gleeble-3500 simulator to study the impact toughness. The results showed that the IC HAZ is not entirely brittle and can be further divided into three subzones according to the impact toughness or peak welding temperature; the invariant subzone heated between the critical transformation start temperature ( A c1 ) and 770 °C exhibited unchanged high impact toughness. Furthermore, an extremely low impact toughness was found in the embrittlement subzone, heated between 770 and 830 °C, and the reduction subzone heated between 830 °C and the critical transformation finish temperature ( A c3 ) exhibited toughness below that of the original metal. The size of the blocky martensite-austenite (M-A) constituents was found to have a remarkable level of influence on the impact toughness when heated below 830 °C. Additionally, it was found that, once the constituent size exceeds a critical value of 3.0 µm at a peak temperature of 770 °C, the IC HAZ becomes brittle regardless of lath or twinned martensite constitution in the M-A constituent. Essentially, embrittlement was observed to occur when the resolved length of initial cracks (in the direction of the overall fracture) formed as a result of the debonding of M-A constituents exceeding the critical Griffith size. Furthermore, when the heating temperature exceeded 830 °C, the M-A constituents formed a slender shape, and the impact toughness increased as the area fraction of the slender M-A constituents decreased.

Notch constraint effects on the dynamic fracture toughness of an unaged beta titanium alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rack, H.J.

1975-01-01

The influence of notch included angle and root radius on the apparent dynamic fracture toughness of an unaged metastable beta titanium alloy, Ti--3Al--8V--6Cr--4Zr--4Mo, has been examined. The apparent fracture toughness, K/sub Id/(rho), increases with both notch radius, rho and included angle, ω. These results have been compared with the theoretical predictions of Tetelman, et al. and Smith. The comparisons show that neither theory accurately describes the effect of varying notch constraint on the apparent dynamic fracture toughness. Although preliminary considerations indicate that qualitative descriptions of notch acuity effects may be given by recent finite element analysis of the stress and strain distributions below a notch root, there is presently no quantitative basis for determining the true dynamic fracture toughness of materials from the results of blunt notch experiments. (auth)

Development of the transverse tensile and fracture toughness test techniques for spent fuel cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, S. B.; Hong, K. P.; Jung, Y. H.; Seo, H. S.; Oh, W. H.; Yoo, B. O.; Kim, D. S.; Seo, K. S

2001-12-01

To define the cause of cladding damage which can take place during the operation of nuclear power plant and the storage through the degradation aspect of mechanical characteristics, the transverse tensile an fracture toughness test were developed in hot cell at IMEF(Irradiated Material Experiment Facility). The following hot cell techniques were developed. 1. The development of a jig and a specimen for transverse tensile test 2. The acquisition of a manufacturing technique for the transverse tensile specimen at hot cell 3. The acquisition of testing procedures and an analysis technque for the transverse tensile 4. The dimensional determination of an optimized fracture toughness specimen 5. The acquisition of manufacturing technique for the fracture toughness test specimen at the hot cell 6. The acquisition of testing procedures and analysis technique for the fracture toughness test (Multiple specimen method, DCPD method, Load ratio method)

Laboratory Powder Metallurgy Makes Tough Aluminum Sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Royster, D. M.; Thomas, J. R.; Singleton, O. R.

1993-01-01

Aluminum alloy sheet exhibits high tensile and Kahn tear strengths. Rapid solidification of aluminum alloys in powder form and subsequent consolidation and fabrication processes used to tailor parts made of these alloys to satisfy such specific aerospace design requirements as high strength and toughness.

Consistent Valuation across Curves Using Pricing Kernels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Macrina

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The general problem of asset pricing when the discount rate differs from the rate at which an asset’s cash flows accrue is considered. A pricing kernel framework is used to model an economy that is segmented into distinct markets, each identified by a yield curve having its own market, credit and liquidity risk characteristics. The proposed framework precludes arbitrage within each market, while the definition of a curve-conversion factor process links all markets in a consistent arbitrage-free manner. A pricing formula is then derived, referred to as the across-curve pricing formula, which enables consistent valuation and hedging of financial instruments across curves (and markets. As a natural application, a consistent multi-curve framework is formulated for emerging and developed inter-bank swap markets, which highlights an important dual feature of the curve-conversion factor process. Given this multi-curve framework, existing multi-curve approaches based on HJM and rational pricing kernel models are recovered, reviewed and generalised and single-curve models extended. In another application, inflation-linked, currency-based and fixed-income hybrid securities are shown to be consistently valued using the across-curve valuation method.

Heat treatments and low temperature fracture toughness of a Ti-6A1-4V alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagai, K.; Hiraga, K.; Ishikawa, K.; Ogata, T.

1984-01-01

Titanium alloy is one of the reliable structural materials for cryogenic use owing to its high strength, high specific strength and low thermal conductivity. Heat treatment is one method of controlling the normally poor fracture toughness of this alloy at ambient temperature. However, there have been few attempts to improve the low temperature fracture toughness by heat treatment. This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of heat treatments on the low temperature fracture toughness in a Ti-6A1-4V alloy. The effects of the heat treatments were as follows: the beta treatment was a very feasible method to improve the low temperature fracture properties; the alpha+beta treatment was favorable for the increment in the low temperature ductility but did not largely improve the fracture toughness; the double treatment yielded good ductility but was not useful for improving the fracture toughness

Determination of sieve grading curves using an optical device

OpenAIRE

PHAM, AM; DESCANTES, Yannick; DE LARRARD, François

2011-01-01

The grading curve of an aggregate is a fundamental characteristic for mix design that can easily be modified to adjust several mix properties. While sieve analysis remains the reference method to determine this curve, optical devices are developing, allowing easier and faster assessment of aggregate grading. Unfortunately, optical grading results significantly differ from sieve grading curves. As a consequence, getting full acceptance of these new methods requires building bridges between the...

A simple preparation of calibration curve standards of 134Cs and 137Cs by serial dilution of a standard reference material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labrecque, J.J.; Rosales, P.A.

1990-01-01

Two sets of calibration standards for 134 Cs and 137 Cs were prepared by small serial dilution of a natural matrix standard reference material, IAEA-154 whey powder. The first set was intended to screen imported milk powders which were suspected to be contaminated with 134 Cs and 137 Cs. Their concentration ranged from 40 to 400 Bq/kg. The other set of calibration standards was prepared to measure the environmental levels of 137 Cs in commercial Venezuelan milk powders. Their concentration ranged from 3 to 10 Bq/kg of 137 Cs. The accuracy of these calibration curves was checked by IAEA-152 and A-14 milk powders. Their measured values were in good agreement with their certified values. Finally, it is shown that these preparation techniques using serial dilution of a standard reference material were simple, rapid, precise, accurate and cost-effective. (author) 5 refs.; 5 figs.; 3 tabs

Correlations between fracture toughness and microstructure in 4140 steel. MRL E-113

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Odegaard, T K

1979-06-01

Correlations between the microstructure of an ultra-high strength steel and material resistance to fracture, as measured by blunt notch Charpy impact tests and sharp crack K/sub IC/ tests, were investigated for a standard 870/sup 0/C/oil and an experimental 1175/sup 0/C/oil austenitizing treatment. The increase in sharp crack toughness with higher temperature austenitizing treatments, for the as-quenched and 200/sup 0/C/oil temper conditions, was rationalized by a fracture criterion based on the notion that for fracture to occur, a critical strain, epsilon/sub f/, must be achieved over some critical distance, delta. The lath colonies were identified as the fracture controlling microstructural unit, and hence, their size was considered to be the critical distance, delta. Toughness in the 300/sup 0/C/l hour and 400/sup 0/C/l hour temper conditions, for which the mechanical data indicated an embrittlement, was clearly controlled by the cementite morphology in conjunction with the prior austenite grain size. Attempts to rationalize toughness in these temper conditions, using a stress-controlled fracture criterion, were unsuccessful and led to physically unreasonable results. In the 500/sup 0/C/l hour temper condition, stable crack growth and periodic ridge patterns were observed. Fracture toughness differences between the 870/sup 0/C and 1175/sup 0/C austenitizing treatments were qualitatively rationalized by the nature of the respective fracture morphologies. Good correspondence between J/sub IC/ and the so-called tearing modulus, T, as indicators of sharp crack fracture toughness, was observed.

Potential impact of enhanced fracture-toughness data on pressurized-thermal-shock analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickson, T.L.; Theiss, T.J.

1990-01-01

The Heavy Section Steel Technology (HSST) Program is involved with the generation of ''enhanced'' fracture-initiation toughness and fracture-arrest toughness data of prototypic nuclear reactor vessel steels. These two sets of data are enhanced because they have distinguishing characteristics that could potentially impact PWR pressure vessel integrity assessments for the pressurized-thermal shock (PTS) loading condition which is a major plant-life extension issue to be confronted in the 1990's. Currently, the HSST Program is planning experiments to verify and quantify, for A533B steel, the distinguishing characteristic of elevated initiation-fracture toughness for shallow flaws which has been observed for other steels. Deterministic and probabilistic fracture-mechanics analyses were performed to examine the influence of the enhanced initiation and arrest fracture-toughness data on the cleavage fracture response of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel subjected to PTS loading. The results of the analyses indicated that application of the enhanced K Ia data does reduce the conditional probability of failure P(F|E); however, it does not appear to have the potential to significantly impact the results of PTS analyses. The application of enhanced fracture-initiation-toughness data for shallow flaws also reduces P(F|E), but it does appear to have a potential for significantly affecting the results of PTS analyses. The effect of including Type I warm prestress in probabilistic fracture-mechanics analyses is beneficial. The benefit is transient dependent and, in some cases, can be quite significant. 19 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab

Correlations between fracture toughness and microstructure in 4140 steel. MRL E-113

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odegaard, T.K.

1979-06-01

Correlations between the microstructure of an ultra-high strength steel and material resistance to fracture, as measured by blunt notch Charpy impact tests and sharp crack K/sub IC/ tests, were investigated for a standard 870 0 C/oil and an experimental 1175 0 C/oil austenitizing treatment. The increase in sharp crack toughness with higher temperature austenitizing treatments, for the as-quenched and 200 0 C/oil temper conditions, was rationalized by a fracture criterion based on the notion that for fracture to occur, a critical strain, epsilon/sub f/, must be achieved over some critical distance, delta. The lath colonies were identified as the fracture controlling microstructural unit, and hence, their size was considered to be the critical distance, delta. Toughness in the 300 0 C/l hour and 400 0 C/l hour temper conditions, for which the mechanical data indicated an embrittlement, was clearly controlled by the cementite morphology in conjunction with the prior austenite grain size. Attempts to rationalize toughness in these temper conditions, using a stress-controlled fracture criterion, were unsuccessful and led to physically unreasonable results. In the 500 0 C/l hour temper condition, stable crack growth and periodic ridge patterns were observed. Fracture toughness differences between the 870 0 C and 1175 0 C austenitizing treatments were qualitatively rationalized by the nature of the respective fracture morphologies. Good correspondence between J/sub IC/ and the so-called tearing modulus, T, as indicators of sharp crack fracture toughness, was observed

Thin slab processing of acicular ferrite steels with high toughness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reip, Carl-Peter; Hennig, Wolfgang; Hagmann, Rolf [SMS Demag Aktiengesellschaft, Duesseldorf (Germany); Sabrudin, Bin Mohamad Suren; Susanta, Ghosh; Lee, Weng Lan [Megasteel Sdn Bhd, Banting (Malaysia)

2005-07-01

Near-net-shape casting processes today represent an important option in steelmaking. High productivity and low production cost as well as the variety of steel grades that can be produced plus an excellent product quality are key factors for the acceptance of such processes in markets all over the world. Today's research focuses on the production of pipe steel with special requirements in terms of toughness at low temperatures. The subject article describes the production of hot strip made from acicular ferritic / bainitic steel grades using the CSP thin-slab technology. In addition, the resulting strength and toughness levels as a function of the alloying concepts are discussed. Optimal control of the CSP process allows the production of higher-strength hot-rolled steel grades with a fine-grain acicular-ferritic/bainitic microstructure. Hot strip produced in this way is characterized by a high toughness at low temperatures. In a drop weight tear test, transition temperatures of up to -50 deg C can be achieved with a shear-fracture share of 85%. (author)

Anisotropic toughness and strength in graphene and its atomistic origin

Science.gov (United States)

Hossain, M. Zubaer; Ahmed, Tousif; Silverman, Benjamin; Khawaja, M. Shehroz; Calderon, Justice; Rutten, Andrew; Tse, Stanley

2018-01-01

This paper presents the implication of crystallographic orientation on toughness and ideal strength in graphene under lattice symmetry-preserving and symmetry-breaking deformations. In symmetry-preserving deformation, both toughness and strength are isotropic, regardless of the chirality of the lattice; whereas, in symmetry-breaking deformation they are strongly anisotropic, even in the presence of vacancy defects. The maximum and minimum of toughness or strength occur for loading along the zigzag direction and the armchair direction, respectively. The anisotropic behavior is governed by a complex interplay among bond-stretching deformation, bond-bending deformation, and the chirality of the lattice. Nevertheless, the condition for crack-nucleation is dictated by the maximum bond-force required for bond rupture, and it is independent of the chiral angle of the lattice or loading direction. At the onset of crack-nucleation a localized nucleation zone is formed, wherein the bonds rupture locally satisfying the maximum bond-force criterion. The nucleation zone acts as the physical origin in triggering the fracture nucleation process, but its presence is undetectable from the macroscopic stress-strain data.

Reference curves for CD4 T-cell count response to combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected treatment-naïve patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouteloup, V; Sabin, C; Mocroft, A; Gras, L; Pantazis, N; Le Moing, V; d'Arminio Monforte, A; Mary-Krause, M; Roca, B; Miro, J M; Battegay, M; Brockmeyer, N; Berenguer, J; Morlat, P; Obel, N; De Wit, S; Fätkenheuer, G; Zangerle, R; Ghosn, J; Pérez-Hoyos, S; Campbell, M; Prins, M; Chêne, G; Meyer, L; Dorrucci, M; Torti, C; Thiébaut, R

2017-01-01

The aim of this work was to provide a reference for the CD4 T-cell count response in the early months after the initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV-1-infected patients. All patients in the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE) cohort who were aged ≥ 18 years and started cART for the first time between 1 January 2005 and 1 January 2010 and who had at least one available measurement of CD4 count and a viral load ≤ 50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL at 6 months (± 3 months) after cART initiation were included in the study. Unadjusted and adjusted references curves and predictions were obtained using quantile regressions. A total of 28 992 patients were included in the study. The median CD4 T-cell count at treatment initiation was 249 [interquartile range (IQR) 150, 336] cells/μL. The median observed CD4 counts at 6, 9 and 12 months were 382 (IQR 256, 515), 402 (IQR 274, 543) and 420 (IQR 293, 565) cells/μL. The two main factors explaining the variation of CD4 count at 6 months were AIDS stage and CD4 count at cART initiation. A CD4 count increase of ≥ 100 cells/mL is generally required in order that patients stay 'on track' (i.e. with a CD4 count at the same percentile as when they started), with slightly higher gains required for those starting with CD4 counts in the higher percentiles. Individual predictions adjusted for factors influencing CD4 count were more precise. Reference curves aid the evaluation of the immune response early after antiretroviral therapy initiation that leads to viral control. © 2016 British HIV Association.

Fracture toughness of the F-82H steel-effect of loading modes, hydrogen, and temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, H.-X.; Jones, R.H.; Hirth, J.P.; Gelles, D.S.

1996-01-01

The effects of loading mode, hydrogen, and temperature on fracture toughness and tearing modulus were examined for a ferritic/martensitic steel (F-82H). The introduction of a shear load component, mode III, significantly decreased the initiation and propagation resistance of cracks compared to the opening load, mode I, behavior. Mode I crack initiation and propagation exhibited the highest resistance. A minimum resistance occurred when the mode I and mode III loads were nearly equal. The presence of 4 wppm hydrogen decreased the cracking resistance compared to behavior without H regardless of the loading mode. The minimum mixed-mode fracture toughness with the presence of hydrogen was about 30% of the hydrogen-free mode I fracture toughness. The mixed-mode toughness exhibited a lesser sensitivity to temperature than the mode I toughness. The J IC value was 284 kJ/m 2 at room temperature, but only 60 kJ/m 2 at -55 C and 30 kJ/m 2 at -90 C. The ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT) was apparently higher than -55 C. (orig.)

[Customized and non-customized French intrauterine growth curves. II - Comparison with existing curves and benefits of customization].

Science.gov (United States)

Ego, A; Prunet, C; Blondel, B; Kaminski, M; Goffinet, F; Zeitlin, J

2016-02-01

Our aim is to compare the new French EPOPé intrauterine growth curves, developed to address the guidelines 2013 of the French College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, with reference curves currently used in France, and to evaluate the consequences of their adjustment for fetal sex and maternal characteristics. Eight intrauterine and birthweight curves, used in France were compared to the EPOPé curves using data from the French Perinatal Survey 2010. The influence of adjustment on the rate of SGA births and the characteristics of these births was analysed. Due to their birthweight values and distribution, the selected intrauterine curves are less suitable for births in France than the new curves. Birthweight curves led to low rates of SGA births from 4.3 to 8.5% compared to 10.0% with the EPOPé curves. The adjustment for maternal and fetal characteristics avoids the over-representation of girls among SGA births, and reclassifies 4% of births. Among births reclassified as SGA, the frequency of medical and obstetrical risk factors for growth restriction, smoking (≥10 cigarettes/day), and neonatal transfer is higher than among non-SGA births (P<0.01). The EPOPé curves are more suitable for French births than currently used curves, and their adjustment improves the identification of mothers and babies at risk of growth restriction and poor perinatal outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the local fracture toughness and the elastic-plastic fracture behavior of NiAl and tungsten by means of micro-cantilever tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ast, Johannes

2016-01-01

The objective of this work was to get an improved understanding of the size dependence of the fracture toughness. For this purpose notched micro-cantilevers were fabricated ranging in dimensions from the submicron regime up to some tens of microns by means of a focused ion beam. B2-NiAl and tungsten were chosen as model materials as their brittle to ductile transition temperatures are well above room temperature. In that way, fracture processes accompanied by limited plastic deformation around the crack tip could be studied at the micro scale. For this size regime, new methods to describe the local elastic-plastic fracture behavior and to measure the fracture toughness were elaborated. Particular focus was set on the J-integral concept which was adapted to the micro scale to derive crack growth from stiffness measurements. This allowed a precise analysis of the transition from crack tip blunting to stable crack growth which is necessary to accurately measure the fracture toughness. Experiments in single crystalline NiAl showed for the two investigated crack systems, namely the hard and the soft orientation, that the fracture toughness at the micro scale is the same as the one known from macroscopic testing. Thus, size effects were not found for the tested length scale. The addition of little amounts of iron did not affect the fracture toughness considerably. Yet, it influenced the crack growth in those samples and consequently the resistance curve behavior. Concerning experiments in single crystalline tungsten, the fracture toughness showed a clear dependency on sample size. The smallest cantilevers fractured purely by cleavage. Larger samples exhibited stable crack growth along with plastic deformation which was recognizable in SEM-micrographs and quantified by means of EBSD measurements. Just as in macroscopic testing, the investigated crack system {100} demonstrated a dependency on loading rate with higher loading rates leading to a more brittle behavior. This

Effect of delaminations on improvement of notch toughness at low temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, W.; Loh, N.L.

1996-01-01

The notched-bar impact test is often used to assess the notch toughness of engineering materials. The principle of the test is that a material absorbs a certain amount of energy when it breaks; the energy thus absorbed is an indication of the material's resistance to impact fracture. If the material is brittle, it breaks easily with a small amount of absorbed energy. If it is tough, it will absorb more energy to fracture. It has been well recognized that most engineering materials undergo a transition from notch tough to notch brittle behavior when the temperature is reduced. In the present study, however, an abnormal trend in the transition behavior was found for an austenitic stainless steel. V-notched specimens of the steel were tested under impact loading in a wide temperature range from -196 C to room temperature. Contrary to expectation, the impact energy values obtained at low temperatures were found to be much higher than those obtained at room temperature, indicating that the steel became tougher rather than more brittle when the test temperature was lowered. This intriguing phenomenon cannot be explained simply according to the tensile stress fracture criterion. Strong evidence has been obtained in the present study to show that the improvement of notch toughness at low temperatures is caused by delaminations

Results of crack-arrest tests on irradiated a 508 class 3 steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iskander, S.K.; Milella, P.P.; Pini, M.A.

1998-02-01

Ten crack-arrest toughness values for irradiated specimens of A 508 class 3 forging steel have been obtained. The tests were performed according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Test Method for Determining Plane-Strain Crack-Arrest Fracture Toughness, K la of Ferritic Steels, E 1221-88. None of these values are strictly valid in all five ASTM E 1221-88 validity criteria. However, they are useful when compared to unirradiated crack-arrest specimen toughness values since they show the small (averaging approximately 10 degrees C) shifts in the mean and lower-bound crack-arrest toughness curves. This confirms that a low copper content in ASTM A 508 class 3 forging material can be expected to result in small shifts of the transition toughness curve. The shifts due to neutron irradiation of the lower bound and mean toughness curves are approximately the same as the Charpy V-notch (CVN) 41-J temperature shift. The nine crack-arrest specimens were irradiated at temperatures varying from 243 to 280 degrees C, and to a fluence varying from 1.7 to 2.7 x 10 19 neutrons/cm 2 (> 1 MeV). The test results were normalized to reference values that correspond to those of CVN specimens irradiated at 284 degrees C to a fluence of 3.2 x 10 19 neutrons/cm 2 (> 1 MeV) in the same capsule as the crack-arrest specimens. This adjustment resulted in a shift to lower temperatures of all the data, and in particular moved two data points that appeared to lie close to or lower than the American Society of Mechanical Engineers K la curve to positions that seemed more reasonable with respect to the remaining data. A special fixture was designed, fabricated, and successfully used in the testing. For reasons explained in the text, special blocks to receive the Oak Ridge National Laboratory clip gage were designed, and greater-than-standard crack-mouth opening displacements measured were accounted for. 24 refs., 13 figs., 12 tabs

The use of thermally expandable microcapsules for increasing the toughness and heal structural adhesives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiaki Sato

2011-04-01

Full Text Available In this research, the effect of thermally expandable microcapsules (TEMs on mode I fracture toughness of structural adhesives were investigated. The single-edge-notch bending (SENB test was used. Firstly, a standard toughness test was performed on adhesives with microcapsules. Secondly, since TEMs start their expansion at approximately 60ºC, the next specimens were fatigue tested expecting a local heating in the notch leading to the desired expansion before being statically loaded for fracture toughness determination. Thirdly, a manual local heating at 90ºC was applied in the notch before the fracture static test. The experimental results were successfully cross-checked through a numerical analysis using the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT based on linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM. The major conclusion is that fracture toughness of the modified adhesives increased as the mass fraction of the TEMs increased.

J-resistance curves for Inconel 690 and Incoloy 800 nuclear steam generators tubes at room temperature and at 300 °C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergant, Marcos A., E-mail: marcos.bergant@cab.cnea.gov.ar [Gerencia CAREM, Centro Atómico Bariloche (CNEA), Av. Bustillo 9500, San Carlos de Bariloche 8400 (Argentina); Yawny, Alejandro A., E-mail: yawny@cab.cnea.gov.ar [División Física de Metales, Centro Atómico Bariloche (CNEA) / CONICET, Av. Bustillo 9500, San Carlos de Bariloche 8400 (Argentina); Perez Ipiña, Juan E., E-mail: juan.perezipina@fain.uncoma.edu.ar [Grupo Mecánica de Fractura, Universidad Nacional del Comahue / CONICET, Buenos Aires 1400, Neuquén 8300 (Argentina)

2017-04-01

The structural integrity of steam generator tubes is a relevant issue concerning nuclear plant safety. In the present work, J-resistance curves of Inconel 690 and Incoloy 800 nuclear steam generator tubes with circumferential and longitudinal through wall cracks were obtained at room temperature and 300 °C using recently developed non-standard specimens' geometries. It was found that Incoloy 800 tubes exhibited higher J-resistance curves than Inconel 690 for both crack orientations. For both materials, circumferential cracks resulted into higher fracture resistance than longitudinal cracks, indicating a certain degree of texture anisotropy introduced by the tube fabrication process. From a practical point of view, temperature effects have found to be negligible in all cases. The results obtained in the present work provide a general framework for further application to structural integrity assessments of cracked tubes in a variety of nuclear steam generator designs. - Highlights: •Non-standard fracture specimens were obtained from nuclear steam generator tubes. •Specimens with circumferential and longitudinal through-wall cracks were used. •Inconel 690 and Incoloy 800 steam generator tubes were tested at 24 and 300 °C. •Fracture toughness for circumferential cracks was higher than for longitudinal cracks. •Incoloy 800 showed higher fracture toughness than Inconel 690 steam generator tubes.

Distance of Sample Measurement Points to Prototype Catalog Curve

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjorth, Poul G.; Karamehmedovic, Mirza; Perram, John

2006-01-01

We discuss strategies for comparing discrete data points to a catalog (reference) curve by means of the Euclidean distance from each point to the curve in a pump's head H vs. flow Qdiagram. In particular we find that a method currently in use is inaccurate. We propose several alternatives...

Impact Toughness of Subzones in the Intercritical Heat-Affected Zone of Low-Carbon Bainitic Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenshun Li

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The subzones of the intercritical heat-affected zone (IC HAZ of low-carbon bainitic steel were simulated by using a Gleeble-3500 simulator to study the impact toughness. The results showed that the IC HAZ is not entirely brittle and can be further divided into three subzones according to the impact toughness or peak welding temperature; the invariant subzone heated between the critical transformation start temperature (Ac1 and 770 °C exhibited unchanged high impact toughness. Furthermore, an extremely low impact toughness was found in the embrittlement subzone, heated between 770 and 830 °C, and the reduction subzone heated between 830 °C and the critical transformation finish temperature (Ac3 exhibited toughness below that of the original metal. The size of the blocky martensite-austenite (M-A constituents was found to have a remarkable level of influence on the impact toughness when heated below 830 °C. Additionally, it was found that, once the constituent size exceeds a critical value of 3.0 µm at a peak temperature of 770 °C, the IC HAZ becomes brittle regardless of lath or twinned martensite constitution in the M-A constituent. Essentially, embrittlement was observed to occur when the resolved length of initial cracks (in the direction of the overall fracture formed as a result of the debonding of M-A constituents exceeding the critical Griffith size. Furthermore, when the heating temperature exceeded 830 °C, the M-A constituents formed a slender shape, and the impact toughness increased as the area fraction of the slender M-A constituents decreased.

Status report on the use of the CRB for the measurement of fracture toughness of RPV steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scibetta, M.; Chaouadi, R.; Van Walle, E.

1998-02-01

A large number of fracture toughness tests were performed in order to assess the use of the circumferentially-Cracked Round Bar (CRB) as a potential method for the measurement of fracture toughness of Reactor Pressure Vessel steels. Test conditions were selected to: (1) characterise fracture toughness in the transition region; (2) study the size effect and loss of constraint; (3) establish the limit of validity of this geometry; (4) investigate the ductile fracture at the upper shelf. In the transition region, the fracture toughness obtained from the CRB over-estimates the actual value as long as the loss of constraint and size effect were not taken into account. In addition, the B1/4 size correction is verified and gives a very good description of the size effect. The application of these corrections allows a good prediction of the normalised fracture toughness up to high levels of fracture toughness.In the upper shelf region, promising results were obtained with this geometry to characterise the ductile crack initiation and propagation

Evolution: Weevils Get Tough on Symbiotic Tyrosine.

Science.gov (United States)

Dale, Colin

2017-12-04

Weevils, which represent one of the most diverse groups of terrestrial insects in nature, obtain a tough exoskeleton through the activity of an ancient bacterial symbiont with a tiny genome that serves as a factory for the production of tyrosine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The scaling of stress distribution under small scale yielding by T-scaling method and application to prediction of the temperature dependence on fracture toughness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishihara, Kenichi; Hamada, Takeshi; Meshii, Toshiyuki

2017-01-01

In this paper, a new method for scaling the crack tip stress distribution under small scale yielding condition was proposed and named as T-scaling method. This method enables to identify the different stress distributions for materials with different tensile properties but identical load in terms of K or J. Then by assuming that the temperature dependence of a material is represented as the stress-strain relationship temperature dependence, a method to predict the fracture load at an arbitrary temperature from the already known fracture load at a reference temperature was proposed. This method combined the T-scaling method and the knowledge “fracture stress for slip induced cleavage fracture is temperature independent.” Once the fracture load is predicted, fracture toughness J c at the temperature under consideration can be evaluated by running elastic-plastic finite element analysis. Finally, the above-mentioned framework to predict the J c temperature dependency of a material in the ductile-to-brittle temperature distribution was validated for 0.55% carbon steel JIS S55C. The proposed framework seems to have a possibility to solve the problem the master curve is facing in the relatively higher temperature region, by requiring only tensile tests. (author)

Mode II Interlaminar Fracture Toughness and Fatigue Characterization of a Graphite Epoxy Composite Material

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, T. Kevin; Johnston, William M.; Toland, Gregory J.

2010-01-01

Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and delamination onset and growth characterization data were generated for IM7/8552 graphite epoxy composite materials from two suppliers for use in fracture mechanics analyses. Both the fracture toughness testing and the fatigue testing were conducted using the End-notched Flexure (ENF) test. The ENF test for mode II fracture toughness is currently under review by ASTM as a potential standard test method. This current draft ASTM protocol was used as a guide to conduct the tests on the IM7/8552 material. This report summarizes the test approach, methods, procedures and results of this characterization effort.

Heat-affected-zone toughness in heavy wall pipe: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dyck, K.; Glover, A.G.; Varo, D.B.

1988-02-01

The objective of this program has been to determine the significance of low toughness regions on the service performance of heat-affected zones in heavy wall pipe materials. The low temperature HAZ toughness of welds in microalloyed and quenched and tempered materials at two heat inputs was established, a test technique to produce fatigue cracks in the HAZ was developed, and four full scale fracture tests were completed at /minus/49/degree/F. Publication available from the American Gas Association Order Processing Department, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22209-2470 (703/841-8558). 17 refs. (JL)

Metallurgical characteristics and fracture mechanical properties of unirradiated Kori-1 RPV weld: Linde 80, WF-233

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Jun Hwa; Lee, B. S.; Oh, Y. J.; Chi, S. H.; Kim, J. H.; Park, D. G.; Yoon, J. H.; Oh, J. M.

2000-07-01

The fracture toughness transition properties of the low upper shelf weld, Linde 80 WF-233, of Kori-1 RPV were evaluated by the master curve method, which is designated by ASTM E 1921, 'Standard test method for determination of reference temperature, T o , for ferritic steels in the transition range'. The reference temperature, T o =-83 deg C, was determined by PCVN specimens at -90 deg C. This value is similar to that of other high copper welds. The initial RT NDT was conservatively estimated as -26 deg F from the current fracture toughness results. From the studies on the chemistry and microstructure, the fracture mechanical properties of WF-233 weld is convincingly not worse than WF-70 and 72W welds

C.O.D. toughness testing of medium strength steel as a preliminary development for single specimen J integral toughness tests of SA533-B steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dean, P.; Tait, R.B.; Garrett, G.G.

1981-10-01

The primary purpose of this project is to set up a test facility and to develop the necessary expertise to enable reliable elasto-plastic fracture toughness tests to be performed. Initially, tests are to be conducted on material similar to that used in the Koeberg pressure vessel walls, with the ultimate goal of performing single specimen J integral tests on the pressure vessel steel itself to determine through-thickness toughness variations. The project will comprise a number of stages, each one necessary for the development of the techniques used in J integral testing. These include: (i) development of an appropriate specimen design, of suitable size and shape that is applicable to both crack opening displacement (C.O.D.) and J integral tests; (ii) development, testing and calibration of the necessary associated mechanical and electrical equipment (e.g. clip gauge, amplifiers, interface unit, etc.), with (iii) an estimation of the probable errors and noise levels with a view to their elimantion, leading to (iv) perfection of the sensitivity and reproducibility of, firstly, the multiple specimen C.O.D. technique and, secondly, the multiple specimen J integral techniques. (v) Based on the above techniques, development of the single specimen J integral test method incorporating development of a computerised testing procedure. All the above procedure is to be conducted on similar, but non-Koeberg pressure vessel material ('ROQ Tough'). (vi) Finally, development and testing of both multiple specimen and single specimen J integral tests on actual SA533B material and an investigation of the through thickness toughness and fatigue crack propagation behaviour

Observable Zitterbewegung in curved spacetimes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kobakhidze, Archil, E-mail: archilk@physics.usyd.edu.au [ARC Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics at the Terascale, School of Physics, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Manning, Adrian, E-mail: a.manning@physics.usyd.edu.au [ARC Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics at the Terascale, School of Physics, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Tureanu, Anca, E-mail: anca.tureanu@helsinki.fi [Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014 Helsinki (Finland)

2016-06-10

Zitterbewegung, as it was originally described by Schrödinger, is an unphysical, non-observable effect. We verify whether the effect can be observed in non-inertial reference frames/curved spacetimes, where the ambiguity in defining particle states results in a mixing of positive and negative frequency modes. We explicitly demonstrate that such a mixing is in fact necessary to obtain the correct classical value for a particle's velocity in a uniformly accelerated reference frame, whereas in cosmological spacetime a particle does indeed exhibit Zitterbewegung.

Observable Zitterbewegung in curved spacetimes

Science.gov (United States)

Kobakhidze, Archil; Manning, Adrian; Tureanu, Anca

2016-06-01

Zitterbewegung, as it was originally described by Schrödinger, is an unphysical, non-observable effect. We verify whether the effect can be observed in non-inertial reference frames/curved spacetimes, where the ambiguity in defining particle states results in a mixing of positive and negative frequency modes. We explicitly demonstrate that such a mixing is in fact necessary to obtain the correct classical value for a particle's velocity in a uniformly accelerated reference frame, whereas in cosmological spacetime a particle does indeed exhibit Zitterbewegung.

Role of specimen size upon the measured toughness of cellular solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christodoulou, I; Tan, P J

2013-01-01

It is well known that the mechanical properties of cellular solids depend critically upon the specimen size and that a 'sufficiently' large test specimen is needed to obtain representative bulk values. Notwithstanding, the fracture toughness of cellular solids is still measured experimentally based on standards, such as the ASTM E399 and E813, developed for solid materials that do not possess an intermediate, 'cell-level' length scale. Experimental data in the literature appears to show that the toughness of stochastic 3D foams is, also, size-dependent. This paper presents the results of a detailed finite element (FE) study that will quantify, and identify the physical origin of, the size-dependent effect. Three-point bending of a single-edge notched (or SEN(B)) specimen, with a 2D Voronoi micro-architecture, is modelled numerically to obtain estimates of fracture toughness which are compared to those obtained with a 'boundary-layer' analysis

Strength and low temperature toughness of Fe-13%Ni-Mo alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Keisuke; Maruyama, Norio; Tsuya, Kazuo

1978-01-01

Mechanical tests were made on newly developed Fe-13%Ni-Mo alloys for eryogenic service. The effects of the additional elements were investigated from the viewpoint of the strength and the low temperature toughness. The alloys added by Al, Ti or V have the better balance of these properties. They did not show low temperature brittleness induced by cleavage fracture in Charpy impact test at 77 K. The microfractography showed the utterly dimple rupture patterns on the broken surface of all specimens. It would be supposed that the cleavage fracture stress is considerably higher than the flow stress. These alloys are superior to some commercial structural materials for low temperature use in the balance between the strength at 300 K and the toughness at 77 K. Additionally, it is noted that these experimental alloys have a good advantage in getting high strength and high toughness by the rather simple heat treatment. (auth.)

J/sub 1c/ fracture toughness transition behavior of HT-9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, F.H.

1984-01-01

Small compact tension specimens of two heats of HT-9 were tested at temperatures ranging from room temperature to -192 0 C. The ductile-brittle transition toughness of HT-9 was evaluated using the J-integral approach. There were two loading rates of 2.1 x 10 -5 m/s and 3.2 x 10 -2 m/s. The ductile-brittle transition temperatures of HT-9 (number 1 heat) tested at 2.1 x 10 -5 m/s and HT-9 (number 2 heat) tested at 3.2 x 10 -2 m/s were found to be -60 and -10 0 C, respectively. Results showed the fracture toughness of the former was not sensitive to loading rate and the lower shelf toughness decreased with temperature to a J/sub 1c/ value of 5 kJ/m 2 at -190 0 C. Furthermore, the values of J/sub 1c/ were valid since the thickness of the test specimens was well above the thickness criterion

Crack Arrest Toughness of Two High Strength Steels (AISI 4140 and AISI 4340)

Science.gov (United States)

Ripling, E. J.; Mulherin, J. H.; Crosley, P. B.

1982-04-01

The crack initiation toughness ( K c ) and crack arrest toughness ( K a ) of AISI 4140 and AISI 4340 steel were measured over a range of yield strengths from 965 to 1240 MPa, and a range of test temperatures from -53 to +74°C. Emphasis was placed on K a testing since these values are thought to represent the minimum toughness of the steel as a function of loading rate. At the same yield strengths and test temperatures, K a for the AISI 4340 was about twice as high as it was for the AISI 4140. In addition, the K a values showed a more pronounced transition temperature than the K c values, when the data were plotted as a function of test temperature. The transition appeared to be associated with a change in fracture mechanism from cleavage to dimpled rupture as the test temperature was increased. The occurrence of a “pop-in” behavior at supertransition temperatures has not been found in lower strength steels, and its evaluation in these high strength steels was possible only because they are not especially tough at their supertransition temperatures. There is an upper toughness limit at which pop-in will not occur, and this was found for the AISI 4340 steel when it was tempered to its lowest yield strength (965 MPa). All the crack arrest data were identified as plane strain values, while only about one-half of the initiation values could be classified this way.

Effect of Al and N on the toughness of heavy section steel plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikutake, Tetsuo; Tokunaga, Yoshikuni; Nakao, Hitoji; Ito, Kametaro; Takaishi, Shogo.

1988-01-01

The effect of Al and N on the notch toughness and tensile strength of heavy section pressure vessel steel plates is investigated. Notch toughness of steel A533B (Mn-Mo-Ni), which has mixed microstructure of ferrite and bainite, is drastically changed by the ratio of sol.N/sol.Al. With metallurgical observations, it is revealed that AlN morphology is influenced by the ratio of sol.N/sol.Al through the level of solute Al(C Al ). At the heat treatment of heavy section steel plate, AlN shows OSTWALD ripening and its speed depends upon C Al . When Al is added (Al ≥ 0.010%) in steel and sol.N/sol.Al ≤ 0.5, C Al remains low. This prevents AlN ripening, and brings fine austenite grain size and high toughness. On the other hand, when sol.N/sol.Al Al becomes high and this gives poor toughness through coarse AlN precipitates and coarse austenite grain. Therefore, controll of sol.N/sol.Al over 0.5 is favorable to keep high toughness in A533B steel. In steel A387-22 (Cr-Mo) which has full bainitic microstructure, too fine austenite grain brings about poor hardenability, and polygonal ferrite, which brings about both poor strength and tughness, appears in microstructure. Then sol.N/sol.Al < 0.5 is better to give high hardenability in steel A387-22. (author)

Interpretation of toughness tests performed on A533, grade B steel in the transition regime. Modelling and numerical analysis; Interpretation des essais de tenacite de l`acier A533, grade B dans le domaine de la transition fragile-ductile. Simulation numerique et modelisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eripret, C.

1994-01-01

Modelling the fracture behaviour of pressure vessel steels is of major importance for related structural integrity assessments. It is essential to understand how the micromechanisms control the transition between ductile and brittle fracture for predicting geometry effects on transition temperature. To meet this goal, a model has been developed at EDF/R and DD in the framework of local approach to fracture. Its experimental validation has been achieved by analysing toughness tests performed by AEA Technology for a pressure vessel steel in the transition regime. This large data base has evidenced the specimen thickness effects on toughness properties of the material, as well as influence of prior ductile crack growth. Predictions of the model have been compared with experiments, which shows that the transition curve K{sub 1C} = f (T) can be drawn from model predictions and compared with the RCCM or ASME design curve. Substantial safety margins have been exhibited. They are greater for thin specimens (10 mm) than for thicker specimens (230 mm). However, the transition curve in the upper transition region is still underestimated by the model (for temperatures higher than RTNDT + 50 deg C). Improvement should be made to account for important plasticity development and significant crack growth. (author). 30 figs., 10 tabs., 12 refs.

The Moderating Effect of Mental Toughness: Perception of Risk and Belief in the Paranormal.

Science.gov (United States)

Drinkwater, Kenneth; Dagnall, Neil; Denovan, Andrew; Parker, Andrew

2018-01-01

This research demonstrates that higher levels of mental toughness provide cognitive-perceptual processing advantages when evaluating risk. No previous research, however, has examined mental toughness in relation to perception of risk and paranormal belief (a variable associated with distorted perception of causality and elevated levels of perceived risk). Accordingly, the present paper investigated relationships between these factors. A sample of 174 participants completed self-report measures assessing mental toughness, general perception of risk, and paranormal belief. Responses were analyzed via correlations and moderation analyses. Results revealed that mental toughness correlated negatively with perception of risk and paranormal belief, whereas paranormal belief correlated positively with perception of risk. For the moderation effects, simple slopes analyses indicated that high levels of MT and subfactors of commitment and confidence reduced the strength of association between paranormal belief and perceived risk. Therefore, MT potentially acts as a protective factor among individuals who believe in the paranormal, reducing the tendency to perceive elevated levels of risk.

Ultrahigh Charpy impact toughness (~450J) achieved in high strength ferrite/martensite laminated steels

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Wenquan; Zhang, Mingda; Huang, Chongxiang; Xiao, Shuyang; Dong, Han; Weng, Yuqing