THE EFFECTS OF SUB-CRITICAL CRACK GROWTH ON THE FRACTURE BEHAVIOUR OF CRACKED FERRITIC STEELS AFTER WARM PRESTRESSING

The effects of sub-critical crack extension on the fracture properties of ferritic steels after they have been subjected to warm prestressing are investigated. The crack growth is assumed to occur at the temperature of the final loading, after the warm prestressing and the subsequent unloading. Predictions of the fracture behaviour are made using continuum mechanics and a fracture criterion based on a modified J-integral. The results of these calculations are consistent with those of a micromechanistic model of cleavage fracture from a sharp crack. Both the theories predict that the beneficial elevation in fracture load produced by warm prestressing is maintained after sub-critical crack growth provided the latter is not greater than the compressive yielded zone formed on unloading.