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Journal of Materials Science

, Volume 31, Issue 4, pp 835–841 | Cite as

Modelling the softening within the fracture process zone associated with the fissuring mode of crack growth in Zr-2.5Nb CANDU pressure tube material

  • E. Smith
  • P. H. Davies
Article
First Online:

Abstract

The fissuring mode of fracture in CANDU pressure tube material, and in particular Stage 1 crack growth (essentially flat JR curve) as observed in some irradiated compact toughness specimens has been investigated. Models are presented of the fracture process zone associated with a crack that tunnels at the specimen mid-section, which extends preliminary work reported earlier. Various types of process zone behaviour are analysed, and based on an appropriate value for Jc, the J value associated with the cumulative mode of crack propagation in irradiated material, together with an estimate of the tensile stress at the leading edge of the process zone, the known failure mechanism (formation, growth and coalescence of voids) of the ligaments between the fissures is shown to be reasonably consistent with the experimental measurements of the fissure spacing and fissure length.

Keywords

Polymer Tensile Stress Failure Mechanism Experimental Measurement Material Processing 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Chapman & Hall 1996

Authors and Affiliations

  • E. Smith
    • 1
  • P. H. Davies
    • 2
  1. 1.Manchester University-UMIST Materials Science CentreManchesterUK
  2. 2.Materials and Mechanics BranchChalk River LaboratoriesChalk RiverCanada

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