This study by J. Besson et al. focuses on an important industrial issue concerning the safety assessment of welded structures and joints. The research investigates the effect of plastic incompatibility by analyzing a simple diffusion-bonded two-material joint. The study involves the joining of ferritic and austenitic steels, representing components of nuclear pressure vessels.

Experimental Methods:

Tests were conducted using smooth and notched tensile specimens, Charpy V-notch specimens, and single-edge notched bend specimens.

Tests were performed on both homogeneous and two-material samples.

Notch and Interface Effect:

In deep notched specimens, the effect of the distance between the notch root and the interface on crack initiation and propagation direction was investigated.

Numerical Models:

Elasto-plastic finite element simulations were used to model the tests.

Crack initiation was determined according to the "local approach to fracture" procedure, based on the Rice and Tracey criterion.

This study provides a detailed analysis of the effects of plastic incompatibilities at the material interface on crack behavior, contributing to the safety assessment of nuclear pressure vessel components.

#crackinitiation | #ferriteaustenitejoint | #fractureanalysis | #finiteelementmodeling | #localapproach

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