Investigation on evaluation method based on J integral for retardation of crack growth due to excessive loading beyond small scale yielding condition

Yamaguchi, Yoshihito ; Katsuyama, Jinya  ; Onizawa, Kunio ; Sugino, Hideharu*; Li, Y.* 

Niigata-ken Chuetsu-Oki earthquake occurred, whose magnitude was beyond the assumed one provided in seismic design. Therefore it becomes an important issue to evaluate the effect of such an excessive loading. Fatigue crack growth is usually evaluated by Paris's law using the range of stress intensity factor, K. However, since K is inappropriate in a loading condition beyond the small scale yielding, the evaluation method for such a loading condition should be established. In this study, the crack growth behaviors were investigated using austenitic stainless steel and carbon steel. Instead of K, the range of J-integral, J, has been used for the interpretation of experimental data. Applicability of J into the Wheeler model, which express the retardation effect on the crack growth, has been proposed to evaluate the retardation effect. It was indicated that the J-Wheeler model could be applied to predict the crack growth after an excessive loading beyond small scale yielding.