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Deterministic and probabilistic modelling of brittle fracture mechanisms in ferritic steels
Author(s) -
KNOTT J. F.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
fatigue and fracture of engineering materials and structures
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1460-2695
pISSN - 8756-758X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-2695.2006.00991.x
Subject(s) - extrapolation , probabilistic logic , fracture (geology) , fracture toughness , brittleness , basis (linear algebra) , materials science , statistics , mathematics , metallurgy , geometry , composite material
The paper shows how an understanding of the micro‐mechanisms of fracture, quantified by deterministic models, can be used to provide a physical basis for probabilistic assessments, particularly when the results of a limited data set have to be extrapolated to low failure probabilities. The variability in results may reflect the effect of random experimental errors in measuring what is essentially a single‐valued parameter; it may reflect spatial heterogeneity in the source material; or it may reflect both factors simultaneously. Results obtained for high‐quality, pedigree steels and model micro‐structures tend to typify homogeneous behaviour, with variability dominated by random experimental errors. More general sampling from structural steels can, however, introduce a further degree of variability, resulting from spatial heterogeneity. This affects the validity of extrapolation of fracture toughness values to low failure probabilities.