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Research Papers: Materials and Fabrication

# An Experimental Study of the Crack Growth Behavior of 16MnR Pressure Vessel Steel

[+] Author and Article Information
Xiaogui Wang, Zengliang Gao

College of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China

Tianwen Zhao

Department of Mechanical Engineering (312), University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557

Yanyao Jiang1

Department of Mechanical Engineering (312), University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557yjiang@unr.edu

1

Corresponding author.

J. Pressure Vessel Technol 131(2), 021402 (Dec 10, 2008) (9 pages) doi:10.1115/1.3008034 History: Received July 18, 2007; Revised June 23, 2008; Published December 10, 2008

## Abstract

An experimental investigation was conducted on the crack growth behavior of a pressure vessel steel, 16MnR, in ambient air. Standard compact tension specimens were subjected to Mode I loading with several $R$-ratios and loading amplitudes. Three circular notch sizes ranging from very sharp notch to blunt notch were used. In addition to constant amplitude loading, experiments were conducted to study the influences of overload and loading sequence on crack growth. The results show that the $R$-ratio has an insignificant influence on the crack growth of the material. The size of the notch together with the $R$-ratio and loading amplitude has a great influence on the early crack growth from the notch. A single tensile overload during a constant amplitude loading experiment retards the crack growth significantly. Right after the application of an overload, the crack growth rate is higher than that of the stable crack growth observed in the constant amplitude loading. The crack growth rate decreases and reaches a minimum value before it gradually increases and reaches the stable crack growth curve. In high-low sequence loading with the maximum load in the second step lower than that of the first loading step, the preceding higher constant amplitude loading results in a significant crack growth retardation in the second loading step. This phenomenon is similar to the effect of a single tensile overload on the constant amplitude loading. An existing model making use of the stress intensity factor is discussed with respect to its capability to describe the observed crack growth behavior with the influence of overload and sequence loading.

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Copyright © 2009 by American Society of Mechanical Engineers
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## Figures

Figure 1

Standard compact tension specimen with notch details (all dimensions in mm)

Figure 2

Orientation of the compact tension specimen taken from the hot-rolled plate

Figure 3

Schematic illustration of a single tensile overload in constant amplitude loading

Figure 4

Figure 5

Normalized stress intensity factor obtained from Eq. 1 and the FEM for the ASTM standard compact tension specimen

Figure 6

Crack growth results under constant amplitude loading

Figure 7

Mean stress relaxation under strain-controlled uniaxial loading with a mean strain

Figure 8

Overload effect on crack growth

Figure 9

High-low sequence loading effect on crack growth

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