Determination of the material fracture toughness by numerical analysis of 3D elastoplastic dynamic deformation

Abstract

We develop a technique for calculating the plastic strain and fracture toughness fields of a material by solving dynamical 3D problems of determining the stress-strain state in the elastoplastic statement with possible unloading of the material taken into account. The numerical solution was obtained by a finite difference scheme applied to the three-point shock bending tests of parallelepiped-shaped bars made of different materials with plane crack-notches in the middle. The fracture toughness coefficient was determined for reactor steel. The numerically calculated stress tensor components, mean stresses, the Odquist parameter characterizing the accumulated plastic strain, and the fracture toughness are illustrated by graphs.