An Experimental Study on J(CTOD)-R Curves of Single Edge Tension Specimens for X80 Steel

Fracture toughness testing of SE(T) and SE(B) specimens is carried out to experimentally develop J(CTOD)-R curves for the X80 steel based on the unloading compliance method. Six clamped (two shallow-cracked side-grooved, two deep-cracked side-grooved, and two deep-cracked plain-sided) SE(T) and two shallow-cracked side-grooved SE(B) specimens are tested. The impact of crack length on the J(CTOD)-R curves of the SE(T) specimens is investigated. The J(CTOD)-R curves of the shallow-cracked SE(T) specimens are significantly higher than those of the deep-cracked SE(T) specimens once the crack extension exceeds 0.5 mm. A comparison of the J(CTOD)-R curves associated with the SE(B) and SE(T) specimens suggests that the crack tip constraint for the SE(T) specimens is lower than that of the SE(B) specimens with the same nominal initial crack length, and that shallow-cracked SE(T) specimens have less constraint at the crack tip than deep-cracked SE(T) specimens.