• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.115-136
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• 2015

We present for one-dimensional model for elastoplastic bar with combined hardening in FPZ - fracture process zone and softening with embedded strong discontinuities. The simplified version of the model without FPZ is directly compared and validated against analytical solution of Bazant and Belytschko (1985). It is shown that deformation localizes in an area which is governed by the chosen element size and therefore causes mesh sensitivity and that the length of the strain-softening region tends to localize into a point, which also agrees with results obtained by stability analysis for static case. Strain increases in the softening domain with a simultaneous decrease of stress. The problem unloads elastically outside the strain-softening region. The more general case with FPZ leads to more interesting results that also account for induced strain heterogeneities.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.76-80
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• 2012

In this study, the effect of the welding current on the hardness characteristics and microstructure in the resistance spot welding of 1GPa grade cold-rolled DP steel was investigated, Also, correlation between the hardness and microstructure was discussed. In spite of the change in the welding current, the hardness distributions near weld was similar. the hardness in the HAZ and the fusion zone was higher than that of the base metal and the hardness in the fusion zone was variated with the location. Especially, the hardness of HAZ adjacent to the base metal showed maximum value, and softening zone in the base metal adjacent to HAZ was found. With the increasing of welding current, there were no difference in maximum hardness and average hardness in the fusion zone were, but the hardness of the softening zone reduced. The difference in the hardness in each location of weld due to grain size of prior austenite. The softening of the base metal occurred by tempering of the martensite.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.211-235
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• 2015

In this work we present a one-dimensional damage model capable of representing the dynamic fracture for elastodamage bar with combined hardening in fracture process zone - FPZ and softening with embedded strong discontinuities. This model is compared with another one we recently introduced (Do et al. 2015) and it shows a good agreement between two models. Namely, it is indicated that strain-softening leads to a sensitivity of results on the mesh discretization. Strain tends to localization in a single element which is the smallest possible area in the finite element simulations. The strain-softening element in the middle of the bar undergoes intense deformation. Strain increases with increasing mesh refinement. Strain in elements outside the strain-softening element gradually decreases to zero.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.92-100
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• 1997

Weld repair of ASTM A-470 class 8 high pressure (HP) steam turbine rotor steel has been performed to extend the service life of older fossil units. Microhardness measurements were conducted across the weldment from unaffected base metal (BM) to weld metal (WM). The hardness of the BM was VHN 253, however it dropped up to VHN 227 at the heat affected zone (HAZ) close to unaffected BM for multipass SAW. This area of hardness drop is called "siftening zone" and has a width of 0.5-0.6mm. During creep rupture test, failure occurred around the softening zone and rupture time was 772.4hr at 19Ksi (132 Mpa) and 593.deg. C. Multipass MIG and TIG welding have been employed to reduce the softening zone width. The softening zone width for MIG was 0.3-0.4mm and for TIG was zero-0.4mm depending on heat inputs. However creep rupture time was decreased as softening zone width reduced. Creep rupture time also showed a close relationship with heat inputs in TIG process. The higher heat input, the longer rupture time. Most failure occurred at intercritical HAZ (ICHAZ), however rupture location was shifted to coarse grained HAZ (CGHAZ) as heat input decreased. The rupture surface showed tearing and dimple which indicated transgranular fracture. fracture.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.44-51
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• 1998

It is well known that the fine bainitic microstructure obtained by TMCP(thermo-mechanical control process) secures the high toughness of base metal. Besides, TMCP steel is very suitable for high heat input in welding as it has low carbon equivalent. In HAZ, however, the accelerated cooling effect imparted on the matrix by the weld thermal cycles is relieved and thus the weldment of TMCP steel has softening zone which shows low fracture toughness compared with base metal. Therefore, PHWT of weldment is carried out to improve the fracture toughness in weldment of TMCP steel which has softening zone. In this study, the effects of PWHT on the weldment of AH36-TMCP steel are investigated by the small punch (SP) test. From the several results such as SP energy and displacement at room temperature, the behavior of transition curves, the fracture strength at -196$^{\circ}C$, distribution of (DBTT)sp and (DBTT)sp, the PWHT condition of A.C. after 85$0^{\circ}C$-1 sec W.C. was suitable condition for recovering a softening zone of HAZ as welded.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.46-57
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• 1990

TMCP steel manufactured by controlled rolling followed by accelerated cooling process is known to have extra-ordinary mechanical properties such as tensile strength and toughness. However, there is much uncertainty about the fatigue fracture characteristics, especially, in the welded state of this steel. In case of this steel, the softening zone by welding is generated in heat affected zone in contrast with the case of conventional normalized high strength steel. This softening zone is considered to play significant roles in low cycle fatigue fracture of the welded part of this steel. In this paper, the low cycle fatigue behaviors of TMCP steel were inspected in as-received and welded state using the smooth specimen. The fatigue life-time was seperately investigated on the basis of failure of the specimen and crack initiation which is detected by differential strain method. Moreover, the low cycle fatigue characteristics of TMCP steel were quantitatively compared with those of the conventional normalized steel of same strength level.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.351-374
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• 2022

Softening function is the primary input for modeling the fracture of concrete when the cohesive crack approach is used. In this paper, based on the laboratory data on notched beams, an inverse algorithm is proposed that can accurately find the softening curve of the concrete. This algorithm uses non-linear finite element analysis and the damage-plasticity model. It is based on the kinematics of the beam at the late stages of loading. The softening curve, obtained from the corresponding algorithm, has been compared to other softening curves in the literature. It was observed that in determining the behavior of concrete, the usage of the presented curve made accurate results in predicting the peak loads and the load-deflection curves of the beams with different concrete mixtures. In fact, the proposed algorithm leads to softening curves that can be used for modeling the tensile cracking of concrete precisely. Moreover, the advantage of this algorithm is the low number of iterations for converging to an appropriate answer.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1995.10a
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• pp.171-177
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• 1995

Fracture mechanics does work for concrete, provided that one uses a proper, nonlinear form of fracture mechanics in which a finite nonlinear zone at fracture front is being considered. The fracture process zone is a region ahead of a traction-free crack, and the development of model of fracture process zone is most important to describe fracture phenomena in concrete. This paper is about fracture behavior of concrete cylinder under lateral pressure. Concrete cylinders were made of high strength normal connote, steel fiber reinforced concrete and steel fiber reinforced polymer-impregnated concrete and concrete and the fracture behavior such as cracking propagation and ultimate load are observed. The fracture process zone is modelled by a Dugdale-Barenblatt type model with linear tension-softening curve and are implemented to the boundary element technique for the fracture analyses of the cylinders. The experimental results are compared with analysis results and tension-softening curves for the steel fiber reinforced concrete and steel fiber reinforced polymer-impregnated concrete are obtained by back analyses.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.199-213
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• 2015

The residual fracture toughness of post-fire normal-strength concrete subjected up to $600^{\circ}C$ is considered by the wedge splitting test. The initial fracture toughness $K_I^{ini}$ and the critical fracture toughness $K_I^{un}$ could be calculated experimentally. Their difference is donated as the cohesive fracture toughness $K_I^c$ which is caused by the distribution of cohesive stress on the fracture process zone. A comparative study on determining the residual fracture toughness associated with three bi-linear functions of the cohesive stress distribution, i.e. Peterson's softening curve, CEB-FIP Model 1990 softening curve and Xu's softening curve, using an analytical method is presented. It shows that different softening curves have no significant influence on the fracture toughness. Meanwhile, comparisons between the experimental and the analytical calculated critical fracture toughness values further prove the validation of the double-K fracture model to the post-fire concrete specimens.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.323-359
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• 2015

This paper presents an elasto-plastic model for determination of the ground response curve of a circular underwater tunnel excavated in elastic-strain softening rock mass compatible with a nonlinear Hoek-Brown yield criterion. The finite difference method (FDM) was used to propose a new solution to calculate pore water pressure, stress, and strain distributions on periphery of circular tunnels in axisymmetric and plain strain conditions. In the proposed solution, a modified non-radial flow pattern, for the hydraulic analysis, is utilized. To evaluate the effect of gravitational loads and variations of pore water pressure, the equations concerning different directions around the tunnel (crown, wall, and floor) are derived. Regarding the strain-softening behavior of the rock mass, the stepwise method is executed for the plastic zone in which parameters of strength, dilatancy, stresses, strains, and deformation are different from their elasto-plastic boundary values as compared to the tunnel boundary values. Besides, the analytical equations are developed for the elastic zone. The accuracy and application of the proposed method is demonstrated by a number of examples. The results present the effects of seepage body forces, gravitational loads and dilatancy angle on ground response curve appropriately.