R‐CURVE TESTING AND ITS RELEVANCE TO STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT

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Abstract
Crack growth resistance can be substantially affected by the constraint conditions of a structural member which in turn are mainly a function of geometrical variables and the degree of plasticity. Standardized test methods are restricted to high constraint conditions as represented by deeply cracked bend‐type specimens and may hence lead to conservative structural assessments. It is demonstrated that adjusted testing can be used to reduce the degree of conservatism. Due to rapidly increasing computer capabilities, a combination of conventionalR‐curve testing with micromechanical models emerges as an accurate tool which may permit routine evaluations of practical situations in the near future.