On the temperature independence of statistical model parameters for cleavage fracture in ferritic steels

The work relates to the effect of temperature on the model parameters in local approaches (LAs) to cleavage fracture. According to a recently developed LA model, the physical consensus of plastic deformation being a prerequisite to cleavage fracture enforces any LA model of cleavage fracture to observe initial yielding of a volume element as its threshold stress state to incur cleavage fracture in addition to the conventional practice of confining the fracture process zone within the plastic deformation zone. The physical consistency of the new LA model to the basic LA methodology and the differences between the new LA model and other existing models are interpreted. Then this new LA model is adopted to investigate the temperature dependence of LA model parameters using circumferentially notched round tensile specimens. With the published strength data as input, finite element (FE) calculation is conducted for elastic-perfectly plastic deformation and the realistic elastic-plastic hardening, respectively, to provide stress distributions for model calibration. The calibration results in temperature independent model parameters. This leads to the establishment of a ‘master curve’ characteristic to synchronise the correlation between the nominal strength and the corresponding cleavage fracture probability at different temperatures. This ‘master curve’ behaviour is verified by strength data from three different steels, providing a new path to calculate cleavage fracture probability with significantly reduced FE efforts.     

延时断裂统计理论

本文研究了广泛应力范围内(1》(ασ)/(Kt)》1)热激活延时断裂统计理论,文中从微裂纹按原子键机理随机演化导致断裂的思路出发,导出了微裂纹分布函数、断裂几率、可靠性、强度和寿命的统计分布函数及其统计平均值。 关键词：     

脆性断裂的统计理论

本文试图从位错理论出发来探索晶体脆性断裂的统计理论。脆性断裂过程,实质上是微裂缝在极小的范性形变过程中形成长大和传播的随机过程。本文导出了描述这种随机过程的微分方程,利用微裂缝形成长大的位错机理,解出了微裂缝大小的统计分布函数。文中给出了范性形变、加工硬化和活动位错源数目与微裂缝数目和大小之间的函数关系。过去研究脆性断裂时,范性变形只是含糊地包括在有效表面能之内,而加工硬化和活动位错源数目则一向被略去。从微裂缝大小的统计分布函数和微裂缝的传播条件,导出了强度的统计分布函数,从而求得了脆性断裂判别式、脆性断裂强度及脆性-范性转变温度。     

Size effects and stochastic behavior of nanoindentation pop in

A statistical model for pop in initiated at preexisting dislocations during nanoindentation is developed to explain size-dependent pop-in stresses. To verify theoretical predictions of this model, experiments were performed on single-crystal Mo, utilizing indenter radii that vary by over 3 orders of magnitude. The stress where plastic deformation begins ranges from the theoretical strength in small volumes, to 1 order of magnitude lower in larger volumes. An intermediate regime shows wide variability in the stress to initiate plastic deformation. Our theory accurately reproduces the experimental cumulative probability distributions, and predicts a scaling behavior that matches experimental behavior.     

钢中脆硬粒子裂纹形成机理

钢中的脆硬粒子对钢的解理脆断有直接的影响，解理断裂源大都发生在脆硬粒子上.根据微裂纹形成的热力学模型，利用钢中脆硬粒子开裂时所释放的弹性应变能、位错塞积弹性能，所产生的表面能，对脆硬粒子裂纹形成机理进行分析.模型计算表明，正应力和位错塞积力都是脆硬粒子开裂的必要条件，这与实验事实相符；同时给出脆硬粒子开裂的临界条件计算方法，计算发现，脆硬粒子临界开裂应力不仅取决于脆硬粒子尺寸及表面能，而且与晶粒直径有一定的相关关系，当晶粒直径较小时，这种关系与实验测定的材料解理断裂应力与晶粒尺寸的关系一致，说明整体失稳解 关键词： 解理断裂 裂纹形核 脆硬粒子     

Non-equilibrium statistical theory about microscopic fatigue cracks of metal in magnetic field

This paper develops the non-equilibrium statistical fatigue damage theory to study the statistical behaviour of micro-crack for metals in magnetic field. The one-dimensional homogeneous crack system is chosen for study. To investigate the effect caused by magnetic field on the statistical distribution of micro-crack in the system, the theoretical analysis on microcrack evolution equation, the average length of micro-crack, density distribution function of micro-crack and fatigue fracture probability have been performed. The derived results relate the changes of some quantities, such as average length, density distribution function and fatigue fracture probability, to the applied magnetic field, the magnetic and mechanical properties of metals. It gives a theoretical explanation on the change of fatigue damage due to magnetic fields observed by experiments, and presents an analytic approach on studying the fatigue damage of metal in magnetic field.     

Nanoscale experimental study of the morphology of a microcrack in silicon by transmission electron microscopy

A microcrack in a silicon single crystal was experimentally investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). In particular, the numerical Moiré (NM) method was used to visualize the deformations and defects. The lattice structure of the microcrack was carefully observed at the nanoscale. HRTEM images of the microcrack demonstrated that the lattice structure of most of the microcrack regions is regular with good periodicity. In addition, the microcrack cleavage expands alternately along different crystal planes, where the principal cleavage plane is the (1 1 1) crystal plane. The NM maps showed no sharp plastic deformation around the microcrack, but discrete edge dislocations can be found only near the crack tip.     

Finite-element and XRD methods for the determination of the residual surface stress field and the elastic–plastic behaviour of duplex steels

Duplex stainless steels have a complex microstructure with comparable volume fractions of austenite and ferrite. Due to differences in the mechanical properties, a heterogeneous distribution of stresses is generated in both phases. In this paper, a finite-element method and a thermo-mechanical model are described for determining the residual surface stress distribution on duplex steels. The stress distribution is calculated after various surface treatments and under straining conditions. The numerical calculations are then compared with the experimental results in order to verify the accuracy of the method. An original method based on successive XRD measurements is then proposed to study the elastic–plastic properties of both phases. The results are compared with those obtained from surface observations.     

Complexity of Fracturing in Terms of Non-Extensive Statistical Physics: From Earthquake Faults to Arctic Sea Ice Fracturing

Fracturing processes within solid Earth materials are inherently a complex phenomenon so that the underlying physics that control fracture initiation and evolution still remain elusive. However, universal scaling relations seem to apply to the collective properties of fracturing phenomena. In this article we present a statistical physics approach to fracturing based on the framework of non-extensive statistical physics (NESP). Fracturing phenomena typically present intermittency, multifractality, long-range correlations and extreme fluctuations, properties that motivate the NESP approach. Initially we provide a brief review of the NESP approach to fracturing and earthquakes and then we analyze stress and stress direction time series within Arctic sea ice. We show that such time series present large fluctuations and probability distributions with “fat” tails, which can exactly be described with the q-Gaussian distribution derived in the framework of NESP. Overall, NESP provide a consistent theoretical framework, based on the principle of entropy, for deriving the collective properties of fracturing phenomena and earthquakes.     

Fatigue life of metal treated by magnetic field

This paper investigates theoretically the influence of magnetization on fatigue life by using non-equilibrium statistical theory of fatigue fracture for metals. The fatigue microcrack growth rate is obtained from the dynamic equation of microcrack growth, where the influence of magnetization is described by an additional term in the potential energy of microcrack. The statistical value of fatigue life of metal under magnetic field is derived, which is expressed in terms of magnetic field and macrophysical as well as microphysical quantities. The fatigue life of AISI 4140 steel in static magnetic field from this theory is basically consistent with the experimental data.     

Effect of stress state on deformation and fracture of nanocrystalline copper:Molecular dynamics simulation

Deformation in a microcomponent is often constrained by surrounding joined material making the component under mixed loading and multiple stress states. In this study, molecular dynamics(MD) simulation are conducted to probe the effect of stress states on the deformation and fracture of nanocrystalline Cu. Tensile strain is applied on a Cu single crystal,bicrystal and polycrystal respectively, under two different tension boundary conditions. Simulations are first conducted on the bicrystal and polycrystal models without lattice imperfection. The results reveal that, compared with the performance of simulation models under free boundary condition, the transverse stress caused by the constrained boundary condition leads to a much higher tensile stress and can severely limit the plastic deformation, which in return promotes cleavage fracture in the model. Simulations are then performed on Cu single crystal and polycrystal with an initial crack. Under constrained boundary condition, the crack tip propagates rapidly in the single crystal in a cleavage manner while the crack becomes blunting and extends along the grain boundaries in the polycrystal. Under free boundary condition, massive dislocation activities dominate the deformation mechanisms and the crack plays a little role in both single crystals and polycrystals.     

Service life of a belt chamber-plasticity aspects

Abstract

The life time of the belt compound vessel is solved from the point of view of a fracture mechanics. It is shown that the existence of plastic deformations created in the matrix of the vessel during working state has practically no influence on the behaviour of the dominant crack and that for estimation of the critical state of the vessel the knowledge of the corresponding stress intensity factor is sufficient. The dominant crack grows under small scale yielding conditions until final fracture of the matrix.     

Statistical Aspects of Tensile Fracture of Isotactic Polypropylene

The fracture behavior of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) specimen with double-notched shape under a fixed elongation speed at room temperature is described. Over 100 tensile tests were performed, and the statistic fracture data were obtained for the tensile condition. The statistical data of fracture were obtained by examining the time to fracture, the ultimate stress, and the tensile toughness (determined from the area under the nominal stress–strain curve from the origin to the fracture point). The probability density distributions for time to fracture, the ultimate stress, and the tensile toughness approximately followed the normal Gaussian statistics. Using a linear relationship between stress and elongation time near the fracture point, we can apply a static Kalman filter system to the present fracture data to determine a conditional probability density function. As a consequence, this application makes it possible to predict the probability of fracture of iPP under any static condition.     

脆性断裂统计理论

本文试图用统计方法,将金属脆性断裂的微观过程与宏观过程结合起来,把断裂理论建立于微裂纹发展动力学的统计基础上。脆性断裂实质上是在小的范性变形过程中微裂纹成核长大的非平衡统计过程和单个主裂纹的传播过程。本文导出了描述这种非平衡统计过程的微分积分方程,并从位错机理出发研究了微裂纹动力学,从而解出了微裂纹的分布函数,求出了金属试样的断裂几率,进而导出了延伸率、断裂强度、范性功、裂纹扩展力、断裂韧性、临界裂纹长度、范性-脆性转变温度以及它们的统计偏差与其它有关物理量之间的函数关系。 关键词：     

Investigation of the activation-parameters of low-temperature slip in cubic metals

The macroscopic critical resolved shear stress (CRSS)τ of 9 body-centred cubic (BCC) and 5 face-centred cubic (FCC) metals has been found to vary with temperatureT in the range 0 to 300 K as given by: lnτ=A − BT, whereA andB are positive constants. Theτ−T data have been analysed within the framework of a kink-pair nucleation (KPN) model of plastic flow in crystals. The microscopic parameters of the unit activation process of yielding, e.g. the initial length of the glide dislocation segment, the critical height of the kink-pair nucleated in it, the activation volume associated with the CRSS, and the binding energy per interatomic spacing along the glide dislocation in the slip plane etc., have been evaluated. A consistent picture of the dislocation kinetics involved in the yielding of BCC and FCC metals emerges, which is adequately described by the KNP model of plastic flow in crystals.     

Influence of grain boundary sliding on fracture toughness of nanocrystalline ceramics

A theoretical model is proposed describing a new physical microscopic mechanism of increased fracture toughness of nanocrystalline ceramics. According to this model, when a ceramic with a microcrack is deformed, intensive grain boundary sliding occurs near the crack tip under certain conditions. This sliding is accompanied by the formation of an array of disclination dipoles (rotational defects) producing elastic stresses. These stresses partially compensate the high local stresses concentrated near the microcrack tip and thereby hamper the microcrack growth. The proposed model is used to theoretically estimate the increase in the critical microcrack length (the length above which the catastrophic growth of microcracks occurs) caused by the formation of disclination dipoles during grain boundary sliding in nanoceramics. The increase in the critical microcrack length is a quantitative characteristic of the increased fracture toughness of nanoceramics.     

Atomistic Simulations of Integranular Fracture in Symmetric-Tilt Grain Boundaries

Fracture experiments on symmetric-tilt grain boundaries in Cu are interpreted using the Peierls-Nabarro continuum model of dislocation nucleation as a starting point. Good agreement is found only when the continuum model is modified according to the results of atomistic simulations. The same experiments are also reproduced by direct Molecular Dynamics simulations of fracture propagation and dislocation emission from a microcrack placed in the interface plane of the symmetric-tilt (221)(221) grain boundary in fcc Cu. Direction-dependent fracture response is observed, namely the microcrack advancing by brittle fracture along the [11 ] direction and being blunted by dislocation emission along the opposite [ 4] direction. Moreover, the simulations allow us to establish important differences with respect to the continuum-model predictions due to the shielding of the stress field at the crack-tip and to the presence of the residual stress at the interface.     

Heterogenous mean-field analysis of a generalized voter-like model on networks

We propose a generalized framework for the study of voter models in complex networks at the heterogeneous mean-field (HMF) level that (i) yields a unified picture for existing copy/invasion processes and (ii) allows for the introduction of further heterogeneity through degree-selectivity rules. In the context of the HMF approximation, our model is capable of providing straightforward estimates for central quantities such as the exit probability and the consensus/fixation time, based on the statistical properties of the complex network alone. The HMF approach has the advantage of being readily applicable also in those cases in which exact solutions are difficult to work out. Finally, the unified formalism allows one to understand previously proposed voter-like processes as simple limits of the generalized model.     

Initial damage induced by thermal residual stress and microscopic failure analysis of carbon-fiber reinforced composite under shear loading

In order to study the mechanical properties and the progressive failure process of composite under shear loading, a representative volume element (RVE) of fiber random distribution was established, with two dominant damage mechanisms – matrix plastic deformation and interfacial debonding – included in the simulation by the extended Drucker–Prager model and cohesive zone model, respectively. Also, a temperature-dependent RVE has been set up to analyze the influence of thermal residual stress. The simulation results clearly reveal the damage process of the composites and the interactions of different damage mechanisms. It can be concluded that the in-plane shear fracture initiates as interfacial debonding and evolves as a result of interactions between interfacial debonding and matrix plastic deformation. The progressive damage process and final failure mode of in-plane shear model which are based on constitute are very consistent with the observed result under scanning electron microscopy of V-notched rail shear test. Also, a transverse shear model was established as contrast in order to comprehensively understand the mechanical properties of composite materials under shear loading, and the progressive damage process and final failure mode of composite under transverse shear loading were researched. Thermal residual stress changes the damage initiation locations and damage evolution path and causes significant decreases in the strength and fracture strain.     

A constitutive model coupling irradiation with two-phase lithiation for lithium-ion battery electrodes

When lithium-ion batteries serve in extreme environments like space, severe irradiation might induce significant decay of the electrochemical performances and mechanical properties. In this paper, an electrochemical-irradiated constitutive model is proposed to explore the evolution of dislocation, defect and stress in electrodes during a two-phase lithiation process. The results from the analytic formulation and finite difference calculations show that, as Li intercalation proceeding, the hoop stress in the surface of a spherical particle converts from compression into tension because the large lithiation strain and plastic yielding at the front pushes out the material behind it. And the plastic flow resistance continuously increases with increasing irradiation dose result from the impediment of a defect to dislocation glide. There is a clear peak in the distribution of stress at yielding locations due to the competition between dislocations multiplication and defects annihilation. The model is meaningful for thoroughly understanding the micro-mechanism of lithiation deformation and provides a guideline for predicting their mechanical behaviours of lithium-ion batteries in unconventional environment.