A MODIFIED J-Q CONSTRAINT APPROACH TO ASSESS EFFECTIVE NOTCH FRACTURE TOUGHNESS

This paper uses a modified constraint-based fracture mechanics approach to estimate the effective notch fracture toughness . A modified J-Q constraint correction approach is proposed to evaluate the role of the notch tip acuity on the severity of the stress field accounting for two main characteristics, i.e. spread and maximum stress dependence of notch tip acuity. The methodology uses standard pre-cracked specimen toughness and the constraint-based approach in BS7910/R6 procedures to estimate mean values of notch fracture toughness. Experimental notch tests for S355 specimens at -140oC show good correlation with the model predictions
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