Tutorial 8 (Week 9)

Problem 1
A specimen of a 4340-steel alloy with a plane strain fracture toughness of 54.8 MPa.m1/2 is
exposed to a stress of 1030 MPa. Will this specimen experience fracture if the largest surface
crack is 0.5mm long? Why or why not? Assume a value of Y equal to 1.

Required to find if critical crack length a < largest surface crack 0.5mm
Condition: KIc = 54.8 MPa.m1/2
𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶 = 1030 MPa
Y=1
a=?
Plane Strain Fracture Toughness Formula: [Topic 7, Slide 29]

𝐾𝐾𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 = 𝑌𝑌𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶 √𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋

𝐾𝐾𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼
√𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋 =
𝑌𝑌𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶
𝐾𝐾𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 2
� �
𝑌𝑌𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶
𝑎𝑎 =
𝜋𝜋
2
54.8
� �
𝑎𝑎 = 1 × 1030 = 0.0009 m = 0.9 mm
𝜋𝜋
Since a = 0.9 mm </ 0.5 mm, surface crack is not larger than critical crack length
therefore the specimen will NOT experience fracture

Problem 2
A structural component is fabricated from an alloy that has a plane-strain fracture toughness
of 62 MPa.m1/2. It has been determined that this component fails at a stress of 250 MPa when
the maximum length of the surface crack is 1.6mm.
What is the maximum allowable surface crack length without fracture for this same component
exposed to a stress of 250 MPa and made from another alloy with a plane-strain fracture
toughness of 51 MPa.m1/2?

Required to find surface crack length

Condition: KIc1 = 62 MPa.m1/2
KIc2 = 51 MPa.m1/2
𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶 = 250 MPa
a1 = 1.6mm
a2 = ? mm
Y=?
Plane Strain Fracture Toughness Formula:

𝐾𝐾𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 = 𝑌𝑌𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶 √𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋

First, we find value of Y
𝐾𝐾𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼
√𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋 =
𝑌𝑌𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶
𝐾𝐾𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼
𝑌𝑌 =
√𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋 × 𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶
62
𝑌𝑌 =
�𝜋𝜋(0.0016) × 250
𝑌𝑌 = 3.498

Now, find maximum crack length a2

𝐾𝐾𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼
√𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋 =
𝑌𝑌𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶
𝐾𝐾 2
� 𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 �
𝑌𝑌𝜎𝜎𝐶𝐶
𝑎𝑎 =
𝜋𝜋
2
51
� �
𝑎𝑎 = 3.498 × 250 = 0.00108 m = 1.08 mm
𝜋𝜋
Therefore, maximum allowable surface crack length is 1.08mm

Problem 3
Following is tabulated data that were gathered from a series of Charpy impact tests on a
tempered 4340 steel alloy,

Temperature (ºC) Impact Energy (J)

0 105
-25 104
-50 103
-75 97
-100 63
-113 40
-125 34
-150 28
-175 25
-200 24
a) Plot the data as impact energy versus temperature.

Tempered 4340 steel alloy

120

100

80
Impact Energy (J)

60

40

20

0
-200 -175 -150 -125 -100 -75 -50 -25 0
Temperature (ºC)

b) Determine a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature as that temperature corresponding to

the average of the maximum and minimum impact energies.
Average of maximum and minimum impact energies = ½ (105 + 24) = 64.5 J
Therefore, the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) = –102ºC

c) Determine a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature at which the impact energy is 50 J.

DBTT = –105ºC

d) Would this material be a good candidate for a structural application?

Yes, because ductile fracture mechanisms are highly desirable and would maintain a ductile
fracture mechanism until approximately –102ºC

Problem 4
Estimate the theoretical fracture strength (in MPa) of a brittle material if it is known that
fracture occurs by the propagation of an elliptically shaped surface crack of length 0.25 mm
that has a tip radius of curvature of 0.004 mm when a stress of 1060 MPa is applied.

Required to find theoretical fractural strength, σm

Condition: σo = 1060 MPa
ρt = 0.004 mm
a = 0.25 mm

Stress Concentration Factor (Brittle) Formula: [Topic 7 Slide 20/22]

𝜎𝜎𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑎𝑎
𝐾𝐾𝑡𝑡 = = 2�
𝜎𝜎𝑂𝑂 𝜌𝜌𝑡𝑡
 𝑎𝑎
𝜎𝜎𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = 2𝜎𝜎𝑂𝑂 �
𝜌𝜌𝑡𝑡

0.25
𝜎𝜎𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = 2(1060)� = 16760 MPa
0.004

Therefore, the theoretical fracture strength of the material is 16760 MPa.

Problem 5
The fatigue data for a steel alloy are given as follows:
Stress Amplitude (MPa) Cycles to failure
470 104
440 3×104
390 105
350 3×105
310 106
290 3×106
290 107
290 108

a) Make a SN plot using these data

SN Plot for steel alloy

500

450

415
Stress Amplitude (MPa)

400

350

300

275

250
10^3 10^4 6×104 10^5 10^6 10^7 10^8 10^9
Cycles to failure, N
b) What is the fatigue limit of this alloy?
By inspection, the fatigue limit is at 3×106 cycles at 290 MPa

c) Determine fatigue life at stress amplitude: 415 MPa and 275 MPa.
At 415 MPa, N = 6×104 cycles
At 275 MPa, there is no fatigue life (infinite lifetime)

d) Estimate fatigue strength at 2 x 104 and 6 x 105 cycles

SN Plot for steel alloy

500

450
Stress Amplitude (MPa)

400

350

330

300

250
10^3 10^4 10^5 10^6 10^7 10^8 10^9
Cycles to failure, N

At 2 x 104 cycles, σ = 450 MPa

At 6 x 105 cycles, σ = 330 MPa