Name: Anshuman Roll no: 200157 Batch No: Th-4

Set-2 Exp-5: Plane Strain Fracture Toughness

1. Title: Effect of notch length on the tensile properties and measurement of fracture
toughness of aluminum
2. Objective: To understand the effect of notch length on the tensile properties of pure
aluminum. In addition, measurement of fracture toughness of aluminum sample using ASTM
E399.
3. Requirements of the experiment:
a) Flat tensile samples of aluminum with different notch length
b) Standard compact tension (CT) sample for measurement of fracture toughness
c) Universal Testing Machine (UTM)
d) Vernier calliper

Initial dimensions of the aluminum sample:

Notch length(mm) Initial gauge Initial Initial width(mm)
length(mm) thickness(mm)
3.5 30 2.45 10
5 30 2.45 10
6.5 30 2.45 10
8 30 2.45 10

Plot of engineering strain vs engineering stress:

Effect of the notch length on the mechanical properties:
Notch length(mm) Ultimate tensile strength % Elongation up to fracture
(MPa)
3.5 90.977 8.43
5 69.981 7.03
6 48.718 5.97
8 24.832 4.16

Major conclusion from these values:

With increase in the length of the notch UTS of the materials decreases and therefore the
elongation of the material also decreases implying decrease in strength.
Load vs Displacement curve from given data:
 Load vs Displacement
12

10

8
Load (kN)

0
0.00000000000 0.50000000000 1.00000000000 1.50000000000 2.00000000000
Displacement (mm)

From graph
PQ= 8.4725 kN

Calculation of KQ

B=5.8mm

W=25.46mm

a=13.041

a/W=0.51 this condition is satisfied

a,B >=2.5*(Kq/yield stress)^2

Pmax =38.671

Pmax >= 1.10*8.4725 this condition is also not satisfied

f(a/W) =10.033

KQ = PQ /(B√W) * f(a/W)

KQ= 8.4725 /(5.8*(25.46)^1/2*10.033

=2.9045kNm^-1.5
General questions and answers:
1. What is stress concentration and stress concentration factor?
Stress concentrations are places where stress is higher than elsewhere, stress concentration
factor is ratio of maximum stress to nominal stress of a cross section.

2. What is stress intensity factor? What is the relationship between stress intensity factor,
stress, and crack length?
The stress intensity factor is a precise indicator of the elastic strain energy present in a
cracked stressed material. Stress intensity at any point is directly proportional to applied load
on the material.
The relationship between stress intensity factor, stress, and crack length is given by σ√πa.

3. What is fracture toughness? What does ‘I’ mean in KIC?

Fracture toughness defines the resistance of brittle materials to crack propagation under
stress, if the longer the crack, the lower the stress needed to fracture.
I represents Mode I stress-intensity.
4. Explain the effect of thickness on the fracture toughness. What is plane strain and plane
stress fracture toughness?
Thickness increases fracture toughness. After peaking, specimen thickness lowers fracture
toughness.
Fracture toughness is lowest under plane strain situations.
Plane strain fracture toughness is the key stress intensity component in mode I loading under
plane strain conditions.

5. What is compact tension specimen?

ASTM and ISO standard notched specimens include compact tension specimens (CT).
Fracture mechanics and corrosion testing use compact tension specimens to determine
material fracture toughness and fatigue crack propagation.
Using a notched sample and a laboratory fatigue test machine to apply cyclic force through
pins in the holes creates a fatigue crack.