SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1995
STP16387S

Orientation Effects on the Measurement and Analysis of Critical CTOA in an Aluminum Alloy Sheet

Source

Fracture tests were conducted on 76.2mm wide, 2.3mm thick middle crack tension (M(T)) specimens machined from 2024-T3 aluminum sheet. The specimens were tested in the T-L orientation and comparisons were made to similar tests conducted in the L-T orientation. Measurement of critical crack tip opening angle (CTOA), applied stress, and crack front shape were made as a function of crack extension. A two-dimensional, elastic-plastic finite element analysis was used to simulate the fracture behavior for both orientations. The results indicate that the T-L orientation had a 10% lower stress at fracture than similar tests conducted in the L-T orientation. Correspondingly, the critical CTOA in the T-L tests reached a constant value of 4.7° after 2–3mm of crack extension and the L-T tests reached a value of 6°. The fracture surface of the T-L specimens were observed to remain flat, while those of the L-T specimens transitioned to a 45° slant fracture after about 2–3mm of crack extension. The tunneling behavior of the two orientations also differed; the T-L specimens reached a deeply tunneled stabilized crack front shape, while the L-T specimens were observed to have only a small amount of tunneling once the crack began to grow on the 45° slant. The two-dimensional, elastic-plastic finite element analysis was able to simulate the fracture behavior for both the T-L and L-T orientations.

Author Information

Sutton, MA
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Dawicke, DS
Analytical Services and Materials, Inc., Hampton, VA
Newman, JC
NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
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Details
Developed by Committee: E08
Pages: 243–255
DOI: 10.1520/STP16387S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5311-0
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-1996-3