Prediction of weibull stress distribution and cleavage fracture probability of SA508 steel

For the simulation of cleavage fracture, usually, it is necessary to perform a series of finite element (FE) analyses and experiments of standard specimens. However, since these investigations may prove unduly conservative or available plant specific data and/or archive material may be very limited, it is not easy to apply directly to real three dimensional structure. Considering these situations, many scientists and engineers have suggested a local approach to predict the fracture characteristics. From microscopic point of view, the cleavage fracture can be regarded as rapid propagation of crack along a particular crystallographic plane in which the fracture toughness data tend to be widely scattered. Due to this reason, statistical approaches to predict cleavage fracture have been used to calculate cleavage fracture probabilities. The Beremin model is a good mathematical model to simulate the cleavage fracture. For the prediction of cleavage fracture probabilities using the Beremin model, the Weibull stress distribution around the crack tip area were calculated based on FE analyses results for 1T-CT(Compact Specimen) and PCVN(Pre-Cracked V-Notched specimen) specimens and used to determine the probabilities of cleavage fracture of SA508 steel