ISSN: 1945-7553
CODEN: JTEVAB
Page Count: 5

A Cleavage Precracking Technique for Sheet Steel Fracture Specimens

Clayton, JQ
Aeronautical Research Laboratories, G.P.O. Melbourne,

Rogers, CB
Aeronautical Research Laboratories, G.P.O. Melbourne,

(Received 4 August 1986; accepted 22 May 1987)

Abstract

A technique is described for the preparation of sheet steel fracture specimens containing a cleavage precrack instead of the usual fatigue precrack. Since the cleavage precrack can provide a high level of stress concentration and is free from cyclic-loading damage, such specimens are useful in the investigation of various fracture processes and mechanisms. The production technique involves low-temperature biaxial loading of a specimen blank to produce a cleavage crack extension, then separation of the specimen from the blank by electrical-discharge-machining (EDM). The stresses used to control the cracking are analyzed and discussed.

Keywords:
precracking, fracture testing, cleavage, cleavage fracture, brittle fracture, fracture toughness, low-temperature (fracture) testing

Paper ID: JTE11049J
DOI: 10.1520/JTE11049J
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