STRESS TRIAXILITY AS A MEASURE OF THE CONSTRAINT

BY FRACTURE MECHANICS SPECIMENS

Draan KOZAK
1
and eljko IVANDI
2

1
MSc, Teaching Assistant, Mechanical Eng. Faculty, HR-35000 Slavonski Brod, Croatia, E-mail: dkozak@sfsb.hr
2
MSc, Teaching Assistant, Mechanical Eng. Faculty, HR-35000 Slavonski Brod, Croatia, E-mail: zivandic@sfsb.hr

Abstract In-plane and out-of-plane constraint effects
on crack tip stress fields are studied by means of three-
dimensional numerical analyses. The crack tip
constraint by standard Bx2B single edge notch bend
(SENB) fracture specimens has been quantified through
the stress triaxility parameter calculation. The variation
of local stress triaxility according to the thickness of
specimen is presented.

1 INTRODUCTION

The stress state in cracked plates changes from
conditions approaching plane stress near the plate
surface to plane strain at the mid-thickness. However,
the state of stress does not only change along the crack
front, but also with the distance from the crack tip [1].
Near the tip plane strain conditions dominates, while
further away from the tip stress state approaches plane
stress. The relatively thin plates (25 mm thickness and
less) used in ships and bridges do not develop
significant constraint through the thickness and are
therefore in a state of plane stress [2]. The structure
thickness larger than 25 mm may more influenced crack
tip stress field. Namely, in this case, the yielding in the
thickness direction (usually z axis) may be significant
reduced. This consequences with o
z
stress appearance.
If the plastic zone size is small compared to the
thickness, plane strain conditions are dominating. The
in-plane constraint is associated with the boundary
conditions and in-plane geometry of the plane, while the
out-of-plane constraint is mainly caused by the stress
component o
z
[3]. The through-thickness constraint can
influence the shape of the R curve, particularly for
ductile materials. In this paper, the out-of-plane
constraint has been analysed in Bx2B fracture specimen
with straight crack front through the thickness.

2 THE STRESS TRIAXILITY PARAMETER

The constraint can be literally defined as a structural
obstacle against plastic deformation which is induced
mainly by the geometrical and physical boundary
conditions but can also be due to mismatch of material
properties in a heterogeneous joint [4]. The overall
structural conditions determine the local triaxility of
stresses, commonly defined as the ratio of hydrostatic
and von Mises equivalent stress in the specimen [5]:
( ) ( ) ( ) | |
2
1
2 2 2
2
1
) (
3
1
zz yy zz xx yy xx
zz yy xx
k
o o o o o o
o o o
+ +
+ +
= (1)
where o
xx
, o
yy
and o
zz
are the stresses in the x, y and z
directions, respectively. In this sense, stress triaxility
magnitude may be understood as a local constraint.
Very often in use is ratio o
z
/(o
x
+o
y
), which implies
whether the stress state is similar to the plane strain state
or the plane stress state. Both parameters show in the
rule the same tendency of the material responses. The
stress triaxility is a description of the 'easiness' of the
plastic deformation [6]. Greater value of stress triaxility
parameter means greater constraint and the stress state
closer to the plane strain.

3 OUT-OF-PLANE CONSTRAINT EFFECTS

In a thin cracked panel the stress state remote from the
crack tip is essentially a plane stress field since all out-
of-plane stress components (o
zz
, o
xz
and o
yz
) vanish. The
out-of-plane constraint depends on the development of
the plastic zone, which is a function of the applied load.
Here is chosen the Bx2B SENB specimen (thickness
B=36 mm) that consists X-shaped welded joint with
crack through the whole thickness of specimen (Fig. 1).


4W
W

=

2
B

B
o5
a
0

F
C
M
O
D
B = 36 mm
a0=35,8 mm

Figure 1 Bx2B SENB fracture toughness specimen
Regarding the symmetry of the specimen, only of
specimen has been modelled by finite elements (Fig. 2).
The finite element modelling enables the calculation of
the stress components. Hence, it is possible to find out
the magnitude of stress triaxility parameter by Eq. 1.
The base metal of the specimen is HSLA steel with 712
MPa of yield strength and 846 MPa of ultimate strength.
Two passes in the root of weld joint were performing by
the electrode with 13% overmatch. The yield strength of
the weld cap is 22% larger related to the base metal.


base metal
weld cap
weld root
a
0
surface of
the specimen
middle of
the specimen

Figure 2 Finite element model of the of the specimen

The finite element mesh consists of 28947 nodes and
6528 20-nodes elements. The first row of elements
around the crack front has the size of about 50 m.
Standard finite element packages have not the option to
calculate the local stress triaxility parameter
directionally. So, for this purpose special code which is
operating with stress components has to be written and
implemented into ANSY 5.6 [7].

The variation of the stress triaxility parameter in the
ligament of specimen for the maximum load from
experiment is presented in the Fig. 3. Two curves are
depicting the changing of the stress triaxility. One is on
the ligament's front (surface of specimen) and the other
is on the ligament's back (mid-thickness section).
It is evident that constraint effects are more in presence
in the middle of the specimen. The yielding near the
crack tip is here limited by the surrounding material.
The peak of the stress triaxility parameter is some
displaced from the crack tip, because similar behaviour
shows the crack opening stress distribution. On the end
of ligament, the constraint effect is little increased. This
is a consequence of the concentrated load acting.
Hydrostatic stress is always less than effective stress, so
we can say that out-of-plane constraint in this case is not
significant. One can conclude that plane stress state is
much closer to the reality, if two-dimensional modelling
is needed.

54 36 43 63 72
Ligament, mm
0
0,25
0,50
0,75
1
middle of
specimen
surface of
specimen
k


Figure 3 The stress triaxility parameter variation

4 CONCLUSIONS

The local stress triaxility as a measure of the out-of-
plane constraint for heterogeneous fracture toughness
specimen has been investigated. It is shown that effect
of yielding constraint is more significant in the middle
plane of the ligament than on the specimen's surfaces.
However, hydrostatic stress for both analysed planes is
less than equivalent stress. This could be understood as
neglected effect of yielding constraint through the
thickness in this case. Namely, according to the
references, for the parameter of stress triaxility greater
than 2,5, it is reasonable to suppose significant out-of-
constraint and plane strain stress state.

Acknowledgement This investigation is financially
supported by Ministry of Science and Technology of
Republic of Croatia through the project 152-504.

5 REFERENCES

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