Coupled phenomenological and fracture mechanics approach to assess the fracture behaviour of TWC piping component

The present study demonstrates the numerical prediction of experimental specimen J-R curve using Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman phenomenologically based material model. The predicted specimen J-R curve is used to determine the geometric independent initiation fracture toughness (JSZWc) value that compares well with experimental result. Using the experimentally determined and numerically predicted JSZWc values and specimen J-R curves, the accuracy of predicting the fracture behaviour of the cracked component is judged. Thus the present study proposed a coupled phenomenological and fracture mechanics approach to predict the crack initiation and instability stages in cracked piping components using numerically predicted specimen J-R curve obtained from tensile specimens testing data.