Determining the Critical Fracture Stress of Al Dendrites near the Melting Point via Synchrotron X-ray Imaging

Dendrites are the most common microstructural features in the cast metals,significantly affecting the structure integrity and mechanical properties of the castings.In this study,the in situ synchrotron X-ray radiographic and tomographic imaging techniques were combined to evaluate the critical fracture stress of the growing dendrite tip during the solidification of an Al-15 wt%Cu alloy under an external electromagnetic force.Two dendritic 3D models have been proposed to simulate the dendrite 3D morphologic characteristics and thus revealed that the critical fracture stresses of the Al dendrites at temperatures close to its melting point were in the range of 0.5 kPa–0.05 MPa.The present results demonstrate the feasibility of measuring the high-temperature mechanical properties of the metallic dendrites.

Main Gas Pipelines： Fracture Resistance Assessment of Pipes

This paper proposes an estimation method of fracture resistance of oil ＆ gas pipes, based on the results of full scale hydraulic pressure pipe testing with the artificial notch, made by the authors at 2002-2006. It shows that the fracture process at the stage of stripping （initialization） of crack can be characterized by Critical Fracture Diagram （CFD）. Calculating and experimental way to construct CFD is suggested and discussed. The fracture resistance requirements for oil ＆ gas pipes in terms of fracture mechanics （Kc, Lc） are formulated and proved. The results of full scale hydraulic pressure pipe testing, based on metal testing data of the standard Charpy specimens （KCV） and pipe＇s specification requirements are interrelated. The way to estimate the admissible temperature operation conditions of oil ＆ gas pipes by means of based metal ＂KCV-temperature＂ dependence is proposed.

Fracture mechanism of inclusions in thick plate center under tensile loading

Segregation of solute atoms in the center of thick plates of the tempered steel can cause an inhomogeneous structural transformation and generate micron-sized inclusions,which leads to lamellar tearing of thick plate and decreases the plasticity and toughness.The formation and fragmentation mechanisms of micron-sized inclusions,like MnS and(Nb,Ti)C,in the center of thick plates were investigated by using thermodynamic calculations,finite element simulations,and electron backscatter diffraction characterization techniques.The results show that micron-sized inclusions nucleate and grow in the liquid phase,and under tensile loading,they exhibit three fragmentation mechanisms.The local stress during the fragmentation of inclusions is lower than the critical fracture stress of adjacent grains,and phase boundaries can effectively impede crack propagation into the matrix.The existence of a low proportion of high-angle grain boundaries(58.1%)and high Kernel average misorientation value(0.534°)in the segregation band promotes inclusions fragmentation and crack propagation.The difference in crack initiation and propagation direction caused by the morphology of inclusions and physical properties,as well as different matrix arrest abilities,is the main reasons for the diversity of inclusion fragmentation.