The effects of compressive and tensile prestrain on ductile fracture initiation in steels

It has been recognized that ductility of prestrained steel is inferior to that without prestrain, and the critical equivalent plastic strain of ductile fracture initiation is inversely related to stress triaxiality. In this paper, the effects of compressive and tensile prestrain on ductile fracture initiation in steels are investigated quantitatively by adopting the relationship between stress triaxiality and critical equivalent plastic strain. It is found that compressive prestrain leads to cleavage cracking and reduces ductility. In the case of the TMCP steel, compressive prestrain up to 30% does not decrease the ductility, accompanied by no evidence of cleavage cracks. However, in the case of SM490B steel, 30% compressive prestrain leads to cleavage cracking and reduces ductility significantly. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.