A path dependent model for ductile fracture

A path dependent model for ductile fracture has been developed which uses the principle of accumulation of damage up to some critical value at which failure occurs. The damage is calculated from void growth equations which depend on the strain path and the value of hydrostatic tension along this path. The model developed on this basis enables the critical damage for failure to be calculated from a simple test such as the tensile test in which the hydrostatic tension can be calculated at all points along the strain path. The method has been verified using some of Bridgman's data over a wide range of strain and hydrostatic tension and more recent data on a high purity iron. (orig.)