Constraint effects on fracture toughness of impact-loaded, precracked Charpy specimens

Impact-loaded, precracked Charpy specimens often play a crucial role in irradiation surveillance programs for nuclear power plants. However, the small specimen size B = W = 10 mm limits the maximum value of cleavage fracture toughness J(c) that can be measured under elastic-plastic conditions without loss of crack tip constraint. In this investigation, plane strain impact analyses provide detailed resolution of crack tip fields for impact-loaded specimens. Crack tip stress fields are characterized in terms of J-Q trajectories and the toughness-scaling model which is applicable for a cleavage fracture mechanism. Results of the analyses suggest deformation limits at fracture in the form of b > MJ(c)/sigma(0), where M approaches 25-30 for a strongly rate-sensitive material at impact velocities of 3-6 m s(-1). Based on direct comparison of the static and dynamic J values computed using a domain integral formulation, a new proposal emerges for the transition time, the time after impact at which interial effects diminish sufficiently for simple evaluation of J using the plastic eta factor approach.