Ductile fracture prediction of EH36 grade steel based on Hosford?Coulomb model

Abstract

To predict ductile fracture initiation of EH36 grade high tensile strength steels, the Hosford?Coulomb ductile fracture model was employed. The ductile fracture tests were carried out on different specimen geometries: central-hole, shear specimen, and notched tensile specimens with three different notch radii. Finite element analysis was carried out for each experiment to identify hardening curve and fracture model parameters. Notched tension specimens were utilised to calibrate Swift-Voce type strain hardening function for equivalent plastic strains beyond the onset of diffuse necking. The location of the fracture initiation and corresponding loading path were investigated using finite element analysis and the test results. The Hosford?Coulomb fracture model parameters were identified using the loading paths extracted from finite element analysis results. Validation of the presented loading path dependent Hosford?Coulomb model was conducted by simulating the tests with a user-defined material subroutine implemented in the finite element analysis software package Abaqus/Explicit.