SEDL / STP / STP601-EB / STP28639S

Application of Fracture Mechanics to the Thermostructural Failure of Graphite

Starrett, HS
Head and research engineer, Analytical Mechanics Section, Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, Ala.

Cull, AD
Head and research engineer, Analytical Mechanics Section, Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, Ala.

Irwin, GR
Visiting professor, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.

Pages: 23    Published: Jan 1976

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Abstract

Thermostructural failure of materials used in reentry vehicles is an important problem. This paper is an experimental and analytical study of a testing facility in which these materials are thermostructurally evaluated. Radio frequency energy is used to induce a steep, radial temperature gradient in a disk-shaped specimen. A K^I solution for this specimen is developed by a semiempirical procedure; it is used to analyze the experimental data. Experiments were performed on ATJ-S (WS) graphite. Comparison of the results from the K^I solution are compared to contemporary K^I values for this graphite. Currently, the K^I solution is inadequate for design purposes; however, it shows the potential of providing a better understanding of the thermostructural fracture process.