Discussion of “Unusual Potential Drop During the Application of the Electrical Potential Method in a Fracture Mechanics Test” by V. Bachmann and D. Munz

1976 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 425
Author(s):  
RL Meltzer ◽  
YR Fiorini ◽  
RT Horstman ◽  
IC Moore ◽  
AL Batik ◽  
...  
1976 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
RL Meltzer ◽  
YR Fiorini ◽  
RT Horstman ◽  
IC Moore ◽  
AL Batik ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
M. Bourgeois ◽  
T. Le Grasse ◽  
Y. Kayser

Within the framework of European project STYLE (Structural integrity for lifetime management), fracture tests on two large scale pipes containing a through wall crack have been performed. Two Mock-ups have been tested: MU1 is a narrow gap Inconel Dissimilar Metals, provided and designed by AREVA France, and MU2 is a an austenitic steel butt-weld with a thermally aged weld repair austenitic weld, provided by EDF British Energy. The four-points bending tests were carried out by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), in order to study the mechanical properties and integrity of component such as welding pipes. A through wall crack was machined in the both pipes. After a fatigue pre-cracking step carried out at RT, the monotonic fracture test was performed (at 300°C on MU1). Optical camera and Electrical Potential Drop Method have allowed following the crack growth during fatigue and final fracture stages. The observations made post-mortem showed ductile tearing of a few millimeters in those pipes. The first part of this paper is devoted to the four-points bending tests. The second part of this paper deals with first numerical analysis related to the Mock-up-1. Previous results concerning the mechanical characterizations of the constitutive materials are discussed. Fracture mechanics small scale specimens are interpreted using FE Analysis to obtain the fracture parameters used in global approaches. First computation is shown on the Mock-up-1 in order to predict the behavior of the large scale test mechanical and fracture behavior.


Author(s):  
K. M. Tarnowski ◽  
C. M. Davies ◽  
K. M. Nikbin ◽  
D. W. Dean

One of the most common methods for estimating crack extension in the laboratory is electrical potential drop (PD). A key limitation of this technique is that it is sensitive to strains at the crack tip as well as crack extension. When producing J-R curves the onset of crack growth may be identified from a point of inflection on a plot of PD vs. CMOD. For creep crack growth (CCG) tests however, the effects of strain are often ignored. This paper investigates whether a similar method may be applied to CCG testing. A single CCG test was performed on type 316H stainless steel and a point of inflection, similar to that observed during J-R curve testing was identified. A finite element (FE) based approach was used to investigate this phenomenon further. A 3D sequentially-coupled structural-electrical FE model was used to reproduce the experimental PD vs. CMOD plot up to the point of inflection. The model was capable of predicting the general relationship between strain and PD. It predicted the magnitude of the change in PD to within 30%. A simplified 2D FE model was then used to perform a parametric study to investigate whether a similar trend may be expected for a range of materials. Power law tensile and creep properties were investigated with stress exponents of 1, 3 and 10. The results confirm that a point of inflection should be observable for the range of material properties considered.


Author(s):  
S. B. Lambert ◽  
J. A. Beavers ◽  
B. Delanty ◽  
R. Sutherby ◽  
A. Plumtree

Over the past several years, investigations have been carried out into the rate of crack growth in pipeline steels in simulated, near-neutral pH, groundwater environment (NS4 solution). Pre-cracked specimens were subject to constant amplitude loading under various frequencies, maximum loads and R-ratios (minimum/maximum load). Test times varied from about 20 to 400 days. Transgranular crack features, similar to those found in service, have been observed. The extent of crack growth was monitored using either electrical potential drop or detailed metallographic examinations at two laboratories. The resulting crack growth rates from both labs are consistent with a superposition model based on a summation of fatigue (Paris Law) and static (SCC) crack growth rates. Differences between the results at the two laboratories are discussed.


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