Study on energy properties and failure behaviors of heat-treated granite under static and dynamic compression

Abstract

The material testing machine and the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) were adopted, respectively, to conduct the static and dynamic compression tests on granite specimens heat treated by different temperatures. The effects of strain rate and heat-treatment temperature on the mechanism of energy evolution of the specimen during deformation and failure process were studied. The results show a significant strain rate effect on the granite, with the energy dissipation density increasing with increasing impact velocity (or strain rate), regardless of the treatment temperature. The specimens heat treated at 300?°C and 700?°C have the minimum and maximum energy dissipation densities, respectively. The specimen in the SHPB tests easily broke into pieces or even powder; while under static compression, only macroscopic fracture surfaces and spalling phenomenon on the specimen were detected. The energy dissipation density is inversely proportional to the compressive strength of the specimen. The rate of energy dissipation change is defined, which can be used to identify the stages in the deformation process of rock and to determine the position of the failure point in the stress-strain curve. For both the dynamic and static compression tests, the value of energy utilization ratio is relatively low, with a maximum value of about 35%.     

Positive size and scale effects of all-cellulose composite laminates

Negative size effects are commonly reported for advanced composite materials where the strength of the material decreases with increasing volume of the test specimen. In this work, the effect of increasing specimen volume on the mechanical properties of all-cellulose composites is examined by varying the laminate thickness. A positive size effect is observed in all-cellulose composite laminates as demonstrated by a 32.8% increase in tensile strength as the laminate thickness is increased by 7 times. The damage evolution in all-cellulose composite laminates was examined as a function of the tensile strain. Enhanced damage tolerance concomitant with increasing specimen volume is associated with damage accumulation due to transverse cracking and strain delocalisation. A transition from low-strain failure to tough and high-strain failure is observed as the laminate thickness is increased. Simultaneously, scale effects lead to an increase in the void content and cellulose crystallinity at the core, with increasing laminate thickness.     

Micromechanics modelling of ductile fracture in tensile specimens using computational cells

This study extends the computational cell framework to model ductile fracture behaviour in tensile specimens. In the computational cell model, ductile damage occurs through void growth and coalescence (by cell extinction) within a thin layer of material located well inside the fracture process zone for the ductile process. Laboratory testing of a high strength structural steel provides the experimental stress–strain data for round bar and circumferentially notched tensile specimens to calibrate the cell model parameters for the material. Numerical simulations employing the micromechanics model reproduce the essential features of the ductile behaviour for the tensile specimens, including the development of intense necking and void growth in the centre of the specimen cross section. The resulting methodology enables the detailed study of ductile failure in small‐scale tensile specimens.     

Mechanical characterization by dynamical tensile loading of 2017 aluminium alloy joints welded by diffusion bonding. New results and SEM observations of the failure surfaces

Earlier dynamical tensile loading measurements, performed with the help of a Hopkinson bar assembly line, on diffusion-welded joints of 2017 aluminium–copper alloys, have been completed. The welding temperature was changed from 500°C to 575°C, the welding time was fixed at either 30 min or 2 h, and the welding pressure at either 2 or 5 MPa. Measurements of the mechanical properties were also performed on treated specimens which were base-material specimens subjected to the same thermal cycle as the welded samples. These results, obtained up to 600°C, have been used as a reference for a direct comparison with the welded sample strengths. The more precise measurements reported here agree well with the earlier results. However, they reveal, at high temperatures (above 575°C), a large decrease in the tensile strength of the treated specimens, which was not observed previously. Moreover, they allow the effects of the welding pressure and time on the welded joint strength to be distinguished more precisely. In order to gain a better understanding of the relationship between the welded joints dynamical properties and their microstructures, the failure surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, some energy-dispersive X-ray spectra were also recorded in order to reveal the chemical nature of the failure surfaces. At low temperatures, the failure surface of the welded specimens was smooth and precipitate-free. On the contrary, at high temperatures, the failure surface was characteristic of a ductile failure mode and exhibited two kinds of precipitates, one rounded and the other oblong, at the origin of dimple formation.     

Fatigue behaviour of dry or partially saturated hot mix asphalt (HMA)

This paper analyses the water, the degree of saturation, and the void content effects on the fatigue behaviour of hot mix asphalt (HMA) samples mixed in the laboratory. Some results on stiffness are also given. Fatigue characterization was carried out through a uniaxial tension‐compression (T‐C) test performed in a controlled‐strain mode, at 10°C and 10 Hz, on cylindrical samples. Our results show that the stiffness is not significantly affected by the water. This finding could be attributed to the short period of immersion of samples in water, low testing temperature, low void content of tested samples, and high viscosity of bitumen used. Furthermore, the fatigue resistance of HMA partially saturated with water (PSW) is lower than the one obtained for dry materials.     

The compression strength of unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced plastic

A simple compression test, suitable for quality control measurements on unidirectional carbon fibre composite, is described. The specimen, a plane bar, with aluminium end tabs attached, is compressed by applying shear forces over the ends. With either type 1 or type 2 treated fibre the failure mode is one of shear over a plane at approximately 45° to the fibre axis. With untreated type 1 material failure is due to delamination. The variation of the compression strength of treated material with fibre volume loading is linear, the values being considerably below those predicted by buckling theory. Increasing void content causes a steady decrease in compression strength, and off-axis strength values are above those given by the maximum work criterion. The present work supports the recently proposed view that the compression strength of unidirectional carbon fibre composites at room temperature is not governed by fibre buckling but is related to the ultimate strength of the fibre.     

Anisotropic ductile failure in free machining steel at quasi-static and high strain rates

Leaded Free Machining Steel (FMS) specimens were tested in tension at quasi-static and high strain rates in both the longitudinal and transverse directions with respect to the axis of the bar material. For the quasi-static tests, a high degree of anisotropy of fracture behaviour was observed for both plain (unnotched) and notched specimens. However the difference in fracture strains for longitudinal and transverse directions was significantly reduced for the high stress triaxiality conditions produced by the sharper notches. Plain specimens tested at dynamic strain rates (10³ s⁻¹) failed at somewhat higher strains than those tested quasi-statically. For the notched specimens tested dynamically, there was a transition to a brittle mode of failure and there was no statistically significant anisotropy in the very low strains to failure recorded. These experimental results were linked to numerical predictions of the local stress, strain and strain rate conditions in the specimens carried out using a modified Armstrong–Zerilli constitutive model for the FMS. Changes in the percentage area and aspect ratio of the lead inclusions which act as sites for void growth under ductile failure conditions were measured for both longitudinal and transverse directions of loading. It was found that the apparent area of inclusions increases with degree of deformation due to void growth but that the aspect ratio decreases due to the inclusions/voids becoming more spherical. This effect was greater for loading in the transverse direction indicating that voids grow more readily from inclusions when the latter are aligned perpendicular to the direction of loading.     

Size Effects in the Charpy V-Notch Test

Issues related to the size dependence of the upper shelf energy (USE) and the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) in the Charpy V-notch test are investigated. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between inertial, strain rate hardening, strain hardening, thermal softening and material length scale effects. Geometrically similar specimens are considered first. For such specimens, the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature is found to increase with specimen size, with the amount of the increase depending on the material properties. To model available experiments, calculations are also carried out for Charpy specimens where only the ligament size is varied and two classes of pipe steels are considered. For a relatively high strength pipe steel, the experimental results exhibit no size dependence of the DBTT. On the other hand, a significant shift in the DBTT is obtained for a low strength steel. The numerical studies are used to understand the difference between these two classes of steels. The extent to which the size effect is material dependent is investigated.     

Effect of pre-charged hydrogen on fatigue crack growth of low alloy steel at 288 °C

Hydrogen effects on mechanical strength and crack growth were studied at high temperatures. The study was motivated by the fact that the environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) of pressure vessel steel SA508 Cl.3 in 288 °C water was suspected to be related to hydrogen embrittlement. Fatigue crack growth rate and tensile tests were performed with hydrogen pre-charged specimens at high temperatures. At 288 °C the fatigue crack growth rate of the hydrogen pre-charged specimen was faster than that of as-received; the fatigue fracture surface of hydrogen pre-charged specimen correspondingly showed EAC like feature. Meanwhile, ductile striation was evident for the case of as-received in both air and argon gas environments. In the dynamic strain aging (DSA) loading condition at 288 °C during tensile tests, the pre-charged hydrogen induced a marked softening (decrease in ultimate tensile strength; UTS) as well as a little ductility loss; this was accompanied by the macrocracks grown from microvoids/microcracks promoted by DSA and hydrogen. These experiments showed that hydrogen embrittlement is an effective mechanism of EAC not only at low temperature but also at the high temperature.     

Reduction in tensile and flexural strength of unidirectional glass fibre-epoxy with increasing specimen size

Size effects in tensile failure were investigated by means of tensile and four-point bending tests. Tapered tensile specimens with plies dropped off internally showed a reduction in strain at failure with increasing gauge length. Scaled bending tests also showed a reduction in strain with increasing specimen size. These two effects and the relationship between the tensile and flexural results could all be fitted satisfactorily with a Weibull strength model.     

Cavitation behaviour in fine grain 3Y-TZP during tensile and compressive superplastic flow

Studies of cavitation in Y-TZP during superplastic flow have been made for both tensile and compressive deformation conditions. It was observed that the morphologies of cavities near the fracture faces of tensile specimens varied markedly with testing conditions and in most cases differed from those near the gauge heads. Two quite different forms of cavitation behaviour were observed leading to high and low strains to failure, respectively. For optimum conditions of superplastic flow, of high temperature/low strain rate (low stress), when large elongations were observed, cavities were either spherical or elongated parallel to the tensile axis. Those near the fracture face interlinked in a plastic (necking) mode to give transverse cavities and subsequent failure. At high strain rate/low temperature (high stress), transverse intergranular cracking played a dominant role in failure at low elongations. For intermediate conditions of temperature/strain rate, elongated cavities developed parallel to the tensile axis, but near the fracture face these usually interlinked by transverse cracking. These conditions were associated with intermediate elongations to failure. For the assessment of cavity growth mechanisms, artificial pores were introduced into fine grain Y-TZP specimens and changes in their shape and size during tensile or compressive deformation were investigated. Results show that the change of pore volume, in the superplastic regime, is controlled by plastic deformation of the matrix and can be described by the relationship of dR/d = ;R, where is the true strain, the cavity growth rate parameter and R is the radius of the pore.     

Hygrothermal effects on the dynamic compressive properties of graphite/epoxy composite material

The effects of temperature and moisture on the response of graphite/epoxy laminated composites to high strain rate penetration loading using the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar apparatus was investigated. The results show that in the thickness direction loading under extreme temperature, moisture and combined moisture and temperature conditions, the compressive strength, elastic modulus, and energy absorbed decrease exponentially. Failure strain and displacement increase linearly with temperature and moisture with particle velocity increasing linearly with temperature but independent of moisture content. The combined effect of temperature and moisture on the damage process was more apparent than the effect of temperature or moisture acting alone. At the same impact energy, the results show the failure properties to be sensitive to the strain rate, with energy absorbed increasing linearly with strain rate at low temperature and remaining relatively constant at high temperature. The compressive yield strength increases as the strain rate increases both at low and high temperatures while the ultimate strength (maximum strength) decreases slightly with strain rate.     

Study of low‐temperature effect on the fracture locus of a 420‐MPa structural steel with the edge tracing method

Quasi‐static tensile tests with smooth round bar and axisymmetric notched tensile specimens have been performed to study the low‐temperature effect on the fracture locus of a 420‐MPa structural steel. Combined with a digital high‐speed camera and a 2‐plane mirror system, specimen deformation was recorded in 2 orthogonal planes. Pictures taken were then analysed with the edge tracing method to calculate the minimum cross‐section diameter reduction of the necked/notched specimen. Obvious temperature effect was observed on the load‐strain curves for smooth and notched specimens. Both the strength and strain hardening characterized by the strain at maximum load increase with temperature decrease down to ?60°C. Somewhat unexpected, the fracture strains (ductility) of both smooth and notched specimens at temperatures down to ?60°C do not deteriorate, compared with those at room temperature. Combined with numerical analyses, it shows that the effect of low temperatures (down to ?60°C) on fracture locus is insignificant. These findings shed new light on material selection for Arctic operation.     

Specimen size effect on the residual properties of engineered cementitious composites subjected to high temperatures

In this study, size effect on the residual properties of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) was investigated on the specimens exposed to high temperatures up to 800 °C. Cylindrical specimens having different sizes were produced with a standard ECC mixture. Changes in pore structure, residual compressive strength and stress–strain curves due to high temperatures were determined after air cooling. Experimental results indicate that despite the increase of specimen size, no explosive spalling occurred in any of the specimens during the high temperature exposure. Increasing the specimen size and exposure temperature decreased the compressive strength and stiffness. Percent reduction in compressive strength and stiffness due to high temperature was similar for all specimen sizes.     

An experimental method for dynamic tensile testing of concrete by spalling

A new application of the spalling phenomenon in long specimens is reported in this paper. The new experimental technique is based on an experimental setup which consists of an air launcher of cylindrical projectiles with a Hopkinson bar as a measuring tool and a relatively long concrete specimen in contact with the bar. The incident compression wave transmitted by the Hopkinson bar into the specimen is reflected as a tensile wave causing spalling. Although such configurations have been reported in the past, the main advantage of the present approach lies in the application of the detailed analysis, based on the wave mechanics with dispersion, to extract the specimen behaviour. Such an approach leads to an exact estimation of the local failure stress in tension at high strain rates, even above 100 s⁻¹. This paper demonstrates, using two series of tests on concrete, that this experimental setup can cover one decimal order of strain rates, from ∼10 to ∼120 s⁻¹. The tests performed at high strain rates on wet and dry concrete have indicated that the tensile strength is substantially influenced by the loading rate or strain rate. The absolute value of the failure stress for wet and dry concrete is almost the same for a particular strain rate, which does not occur when subject to low strain rates in tension or compression. A brief discussion is offered on a high rate sensitivity of concrete strength in tension at high strain rates.     

Tests to determine the fatigue strength of steel castings containing shrinkage

Little information is available on the relationships between defects and the fatigue strength of steel casting. Some fatigue tests were therefore carried out on low strength steel castings containing deliberately introduced shrinkage defects. Failure in most tests originated at defects which could be identified on radiographs, but on the basis of the radiographs, it would not have been possible to predict either the site of the failure or the fatigue strength of the individual specimens. Even gross centre-line defects had little effect on the fatigue strength of specimens tested in four point bending, although substantially decreasing the strength of specimen tested in tension. A fracture mechanics analysis was attempted but was not satisfactory due to the difficulty in estimating the stress intensity factors for the irregular flaws concerned and because of excessive yielding in many specimens.     

孔隙对碳纤维增强环氧树脂复合材料超声衰减系数及压缩性能的影响

孔隙对碳纤维增强环氧树脂（CF/EP）复合材料的力学性能和破坏模式有显著的影响,因此需要建立准确的孔隙率无损检测评估方法,并基于所评估的孔隙率提高CF/EP复合材料压缩性能预测的可靠性。本文主要研究了孔隙对CF/EP复合材料的超声衰减系数和压缩性能的影响,通过降低固化压力至0.7~0.2 MPa和延长预浸料室温贮存时间至30~180天的方法,制备了不同孔隙率的CF/EP复合材料层压板,通过金相验证其孔隙率在0%~3.0%之间,孔隙类型主要为层中孔隙和层间孔隙。通过理论和试验的方法,基于超声反射法建立了孔隙率与超声衰减系数的关系曲线,由孔隙引起超声衰减系数为α_v=1.08P_v2(P_v为孔隙率),与前人基于超声穿透法所得的超声衰减系数α_v=0.61P_v2较好地符合2倍声程的关系。对不同孔隙率的CF/EP复合材料层压板进行压缩测试实验,特别考虑了贴片和加载方向对测试结果的影响。从细观角度研究了含孔隙的CF/EP复合材料层压板的压缩破坏模式。结果表明:CF/EP复合材料层压板的压缩强度随孔隙率增加而下降,孔隙率增加至2.5%时,压缩强度下降13.7%,孔隙细观特征影响压缩破坏的形式,主要原因是孔隙诱发微裂纹的萌生和扩展,削弱了纤维与树脂间的结合力并引发纤维微屈曲。      

Temperature and Rate Effects on GRP Tubes Under Tensile Hoop Loading

A comprehensive study was undertaken to characterise glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) tubes at different temperatures and strain rates. The tests were performed on tubes of 25°, 55° and 75° winding angle. The tubes were burst under internal radial pressure with minimum end constraints. Two separate rigs were used, one for the static and the other for the dynamic tests. The tests were carried out at three temperatures; –46°C (low temperature), +20°C (room temperature) and +70°C (high temperature). For each test the internal pressure and the strains in both circumferential and longitudinal directions were recorded on suitable digital processing equipment. For a particular batch of tubes tested at three different temperatures, there is in general a decrease in hoop strength with increasing temperature during quasi-static tests. The use of a non-structural liner during such tests led to an increase in ultimate hoop strain of 55° tubes, especially at high temperature. The corresponding increase in ultimate hoop strain was markedly less in the case of 75° and almost negligible in the case of 25° tubes. Testing the tubes at high strain rates resulted in substantial increases in burst strength and ultimate hoop strain as compared with the quasi-static and low strain rate values. The mode of failure of 75° tube is a catastrophic fibre breakage under all test conditions. The mode of failure of 55° tube is a combination of weeping and fibre failure. The 25° tubes are characterised by matrix failure, which is very severe at high strain rates.     

高温后半灌浆套筒抗拉性能试验研究

对灌浆料标准试块和铸铁半灌浆套筒连接件进行了常温、200℃、300℃、400℃、600℃的抗压强度试验和单向拉伸试验。研究了温度对灌浆料性能的影响,以及锚固长度、保护层厚度对高温后半灌浆套筒钢筋连接试件抗拉性能的影响,分析了高温后半灌浆套筒连接破坏模式的转变。结果表明:灌浆料抗压强度随温度的升高而降低,在经历600℃高温后,灌浆料抗压强度损失达73%;套筒试件经历高温后由钢筋屈服后断裂破坏逐渐变为钢筋屈服拔出破坏,最终变为钢筋屈服前拔出破坏;无保护层试件抗拉性能在各个温度下均低于有保护层试件。基于试验数据给出了灌浆料抗压强度随温度变化的计算公式及半灌浆套筒极限拉力随温度和锚固长度变化的计算公式,为相关设计及工程施工提供参考。