Structural Failure of Materials - Failure Flashcards
Derive an expression for the theoretical tensile strength of a material using YM.
Check slide 2
Derive an expression for the theoretical tensile strength of a retrial in terms of surface energy when fracture occurs.
Check slide 3
Why do the experimental tensile strengths of materials not follow the theoretical.
Fracture does not occur by uniform separation of atoms in a plane.
It happens by:
Shear: plastic deformation - ductile failure
Or
Fracture initiates locally at a defect and spreads across the cross section - brittle failure
Which two methods can be used for understanding crack tips?
Griffith energy balance criterion
Linear elastic fracture mechanics (based on stress)
Both are equivalent
Derive the Griffith criterion for fixed grip load.
Check slide 6
Define toughness.
The quality of a material to resist crack propagation
Why is σ(f) less than theoretical strength?
Cracks concentrate stress
Why does σ(f) increase as c decreases?
Less stress concentrated at crack tip
Why does the strength of a material vary from specimens to specimens?
Different c in each material and occurs and fracture occurs at the single largest flaw.
Why doers σ(f) increase as E and γ increase?
Stronger bonding.
Show that Griffith equation applies to fracture stresses under all loading conditions.
Check slide 8
What is the mechanical energy releases rate, G?
Energy released per unit crack area
Derive the mechanical energy release rate, G.
Check slide 8
Why are the surface energy values, γ, deduced from fracture always lower than the true value od surface energy?
Crack surface not flat and crack surrounded by micro cracks that increase the surface area without knowing.
Other mechanisms to absorb energy, eg plastic deformation around the crack tip.
Polymer exhibit crazing which involves drawing molecules from the surface during fracture.
Grain boundary segregation can lower surface energy deduced
Corrosive environments can also lower surface energy deduced.
What is G(c)?
The total energy (new surface + plastic work + work of pullout etc) required to extend a crack through a unit area.
What assumptions are made in defining G(c).
The extra energy of dissipating mechanisms act like a surface energy ie a single value material property not affected by geometry of crack or loading system.
The dissipation at the crack tip does not affect the energy release when the crack propagates eg, the plastic zone must be small compared to the size of the crack.
How is G(c) related to true surface energy?
for ideal brittle fracture:
G(c) = 2γ(s)
What names does G(c) go by?
Critical strain release rate (don’t use)
Critical mechanical energy release rate
Toughness
Crack resistance energy, R
What condition must be satisfied for fracture involving G(c)?
G ≥ G(c)
Mechanical energy driving the crack forward is greater than the critical mechanical energy for fracture.
Are G and G(c) material properties?
G(c) is, G is just the mechanical energy driving a crack forward under certain conditions.
When is LEFM valid?
For near field solutions (close to the crack tip) but not very close to the crack tip as stress would tend ∞
What general assumption is made about the type of crack propagation for LEFM?
Mode ! fracture is most important and dominates because cracks tend to propagate on planes with the maximum principle stress on it.
State the general solution for crack propagation in LEFM.
Check slide 11
What is K in LEFM?
The stress intensity factor
What are the units of K?
MNm^-3/2
or
MPam^1/2
What are the units of G?
Jm^-2
or
Nm^-1
What is K a measure of?
Stress at the crack tip.
What is K(Ic)?
The critical; stress intensity factor for mode I fracture. It is also known as the toughness.
What is the difference between K and K(c)?
For brittle materials K(c) is a material property and has nothing to do with crack geometry or loading conditions whereas K is a function of crack geometry and loading conditions.
Relate G and K(I)
Check slide 14
How does superposition work for K and G.
For K, different contributions towards the same fracture mode should have their K contributions added together.
For G, contributions in different modes should have G added together.
Show how the Griffith equation changes in plane strain (thick plate)
Check slide 15
How does specimen thickness influence fracture?
For thin specimens use plane stress, whereas in thick plane strains used.
State K(I) for uniform loading for a straight through crack in ∞ specimens and an edge crack in a semi-infinite specimens.
Check slide 15
Sketch plots of K against c showing what happens under stable and unstable growth.
Check slide 16
Why is fracture stable when a line force acts at the mouth of a crack or a posit force acts at the centre of a semicircular edge crack?
K will decrease as c increases as the crack tip gets further from the force.
State the Weibull equation for a statistical approach to dealing with the unpredictability of brittle fracture.
Check slide 17
What are plot on the axis for Weibull plot to find the Weibull modulus?
Plot ln(ln(1/P(s))) = lnV - ln(-V(0)σ(0)^m) + mlnσ
m is the Weibull modulus and can be found using the gradient when lnln(1/P(s)) is plotted against lnσ
How can we increase the mean strength of brittle materials?
Increase toughness Decrease c (by improved processing and or/ avoiding damage in service) Proof testing (stress to design level) Build in compressive stresses into the surface as bending usually max at surface.
State an expression from simple beam theory that shows how stress Varys with load in a 3 point bend test.
Check slide 19
Sketch the set of a SENB under a 3 point bend test.
Check slide 19
What are the methods of producing a sharp crack for a SENB?
Saw the notch with a razor blade and 0.25µm diamond paste.
Bridge anvil compression (compressive loading produces a small crack by stable growth)
Single Vickers indentation then polish plastic zone away
Chevron notch
Grow a fatigue crack (usually from a notch) to avoid sudden brittle fracture)
Sketch a schematic of apparent K(Ic) against notch tip radius to demonstrate why crack tips in testing must be as sharp as possible.
Check slide 19
State expressions for G at the point of crack growth for a double cantilever beam under constant displacement, constant load and constant moment conditions
Check slide 21
For a double cantilever beam test, what kinds of crack propagation do the conditions of constant displacement, constant load and constant moment cause?
Stable crack propagation
Unstable crack propagation
Neutral, independent of c
What is the main advantage of compact tension specimens for testing toughness and fatigue?
It is a standardised shape
What kinds of cracks do vickers indentations cause?
Semicircular, radial-median cracks
Sketch a cross section of a Vickers indentation.
Check slide 22
State an expression for finding K(c) of a material using a Vickers indentation.
Check slide 24
What are the advantages and disadvantages in using a Vickers indentation to measure hardness?
Ads: Cheap and easy Small flaw like real flaws Very small amount of material required Disads: Very difficult to measure c accurately Approximate analysis as c not >> plastic zone. Lateral or Palmqvist cracking, chipping etc not accounted for Not valid for porous materials
What are the differences between calculating the K(Ic) or G(c) for a sample of simple and more complicated geometry?
Simple:
Analytical calculation
Complex:
More sophisticated numerical calculations.
G for other test pieces can be found experimentally with compliance calibration
Derive an expression for G involving dλ/dc that can be used for compliance calibration.
Check slide 24
How is compliance calibration used to find G(c)?
If P is plotted against c for various loads and the gradient of each slope is measured to be 1/λ, λ can then be plotted against c with dλ/dc being found at the crack length where fracture is occurring.
Give an expression for a first approximation for the size of the plastic zone ahead of a crack tip.
Check slide 25