• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.96-102
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• 1990

Cracks found in pressure vessels have been reported to be mostly semi-elliptic surface cracks. The fatigue crack growth behaviour of the surface cracks on pressure vessel materials, SPV 50Q and API 5A-K55, was studied with the consideration of the crack opening character. To determine the crack opening loads for the surface cracks, the displacement/strain were measured at three positions; the center and the side of the surface crack, the back face of the specimen using CMOD gauge and strain gauges. The experimental results showed that the crack opening load levels measured at the side of the surface crack were generally a little higher than those measured at the back face. As for the crack growth rates at the different parts of the surface crack, the experiments also showed that, if .DELTA.K$_{eff}$ is used, the exponent n of the Paris' law obtained were the same for the rear and the side parts of the surface cracks.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2002

The leak-before-break (LBB) behaviors of a structural component under high and low fatigue loads are an important problem in nuclear power plants, liquid nitrogen gas tankers and chemical plants. This paper is an experimental study to evaluate the crack opening behavior after penetration for plate and pipe specimens. Crack opening displacement after penetration under low fatigue load could be satisfactorily determined at the center of the plate thickness regardless of the specimen size. In the case of high fatigue load, it is shown that the crack opening displacement at the center of a penetrated crack carl be derived using the gross stress, $\sigma$/sug G/, and the front surface crack length, a$\_$s/, together with the back surface crack length, a$\_$b/.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1989-1995
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• 2004

Finite element analysis(FEA) is the most popular numerical method to simulate plasticity-induced fatigue crack closure and can predict fatigue crack closure behavior. Finite element analysis under plane stress state using 4-node isoparametric elements is performed to investigate the detailed closure behavior of fatigue cracks and the numerical results are compared with experimental results. The mesh of constant size elements on the crack surface can not correctly predict the opening level for fatigue crack as shown in the previous works. The crack opening behavior for the size mesh with a linear change shows almost flat stress level after a crack tip has passed by the monotonic plastic zone. The prediction of crack opening level presents a good agreement with published experimental data regardless of stress ratios, which are using the mesh of the elements that are in proportion to the reversed plastic zone size considering the opening stress intensity factors. Numerical interpolation results of finite element analysis can precisely predict the crack opening level. This method shows a good agreement with the experimental data regardless of the stress ratios and kinds of materials.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.365-375
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• 2017

An experimental evaluation of crack propagation and post-cracking behavior in steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) beams, using full-field displacements obtained from the digital image correlation technique is presented. Surface displacements and strains during the fracture test of notched SFRC beams with volume fractions ($V_f$) of steel fibers equal to 0.5 and 0.75% are analyzed. An analysis procedure for determining the crack opening width over the depth of the beam during crack propagation in the flexure test is presented. The crack opening width is established as a function of the crack tip opening displacement and the residual flexural strength of SFRC beams. The softening in the post-peak load response is associated with the rapid surface crack propagation for small increases in crack tip opening displacement. The load recovery in the flexural response of SFRC is associated with a hinge-type behavior in the beam. For the stress gradient produced by flexure, the hinge is established before load recovery is initiated. The resistance provided by the fibers to the opening of the hinge produces the load recovery in the flexural response.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.13-22
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• 2012

According to recent research on leak-rate estimates to assess rupture probabilities of nuclear piping which contains a circumferential surface/through-wall cracks due to PWSCC, i.e., xLPR (Extremely Low Probability of Rupture) program, it has been revealed that the use of crack shape with an idealized circumferential through-wall crack during actual crack growth can lead to overestimate of the leak-rate. Thus, for accurate estimation of the leak-rate during crack growth, the more realistic crack shape that can simulate the crack shape transition from surface crack to through-wall crack should be used. In this context, in the present study, the elastic crack opening displacement of slanted circumferential through-wall crack in thick-walled cylinder was proposed based on 3-dimensional elastic finite element fracture mechanics analyses. To propose the elastic crack opening displacement of slanted circumferential through-wall crack in thick-walled cylinder, the geometric variables affecting crack opening displacement, i.e., thickness of cylinder, reference inner crack length and slant crack ratio were systematically varied. In terms of loading conditions, axial tension, global bending moment and internal pressure were considered. The present results can be applied to calculate the leak-rate considering more realistic crack shape transition from surface crack to idealized through-wall crack, and can be expected to enhance current leak-rate estimation scheme, for instance, in xLPR program etc.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.401-407
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• 2000

An elastic-plastic finite element analysis is performed to investigate detailed closure behavior of fatigue cracks and the numerical results are compared with experimental results. The finite element analysis performed under plane stress using 4-node isoparametric elements can predict fatigue crack closure behavior. The mesh of constant element size along crack surface can not predict the opening level of fatigue crack. The crack opening level for the constant mesh size increases linearly from initial crack growth. The crack opening level for variable mesh size, is almost flat after crack tip has passed the monotonic plastic zone. The prediction of crack opening level using the variable mesh size proportioning the reversed plastic zone size with the opening stress intensity factors presents a good agreement with the experimental data regardless of stress ratios.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.432-440
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• 2007

In this study, we have investigated the closure behavior of fatigue cracks in SAPH440 steel plates under a mixed-mode I+II loading. A crack image capturing system as a direct measuring method was used to measure the closure levels at a crack tip. The crack closure levels in the fluctuation and stable sections were increased with the increase of the mode mixture ratio. The mode mixture ratio independent fatigue crack propagation rates equation was calculated by considering mixed-mode crack closure levels. The equation was examined according to the application method of crack opening ratio. The fracture surface analysis by C-scan method was also performed in order to investigate the closure mechanism and propagation mode of crack under the mixed-mode I+II loading. The crack closure under the mixed mode I+II is confirmed as a surface roughness closure by the quantitative analysis of fracture surface using the proposed surface roughness parameter.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1703-1711
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• 2003

An elastic-plastic finite element analysis is performed to investigate detailed closure behaviour of fatigue cracks in residual stress fields and the numerical results are compared with experimental results. The finite element analysis performed under plane stress using contact elements can predict fatigue crack closure behaviour. The mesh of constant element size along crack surface can not predict the opening level of fatigue crack. Specially, the mesh of element sizes depending upon the reversed plastic zone size included the effect of crack opening point can precisely predict the opening level. By using the concept of the mesh of element sizes depending upon the reversed plastic zone size included the effect of crack opening point, the opening level of fatigue crack can be determined very well.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.50-57
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• 1998

The leak before break(LBB) concept is generalized on the design of LNG tanks, pressure vessels and nuclear reactor in that any leakage of containment, in whatever amount, will not result in catastropic failure. For this purpose it is necessary to determine the surface crack shape, the opening displacement and the risk of catastropic brittle fracture when it becomes a through crack. In this study the crack propagation behavior of surface flaws and the crack opening displacement of through cracks under combined membrane and bending stresses were investigated with fatigue tests and fracture toughness test of aluminium alloy A5083-O. And fracture mechanics analysis of the crack opening displacement of through cracks were made in order to develop a new model expressing the behaviors of COD under combined membrane and bending stresses.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.4 no.1 s.9
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• pp.55-62
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• 2000

A surface acoustic wave method for the evaluation of small fatigue crack initiated from a pit-type surface flaw is presented. In-situ ultrasonic experiments are performed for aluminum 2024-T3 alloy samples under the fatigue test. During the fatigue test, the surface acoustic wave reflection signal from the pit and crack is measured under different hold-stress levels. From the measured and predicted surface wave reflections the depths of fully and partially open cracks are determined and results are verified by comparing with SEM fractography The crack opening behavior of the fatigue crack is evaluated from the predicted effective crack depths. The method developed in this study can be applied to monitor and characterize crack initiation and propagation from pit-type surface flaws in the early stage of fatigue life.