Fracture toughness evaluation of 3Cr-1Mo steel from Vickers indentation and tensile test data

The 3Cr–1Mo steels have a potential for hydrogen and temper embrittlement. In the current study a theoretical model is proposed to estimate the fracture toughness of 3Cr-1Mo steel from Vickers indentation and tensile test data using the indentation energy to fracture (IEF) model and substituting ball indenter for Vickers indenter. These predicted values were compared with KIc values obtained from Rolfe-Barsom equations based on Charpy V-Notch (CVN) impact test results. It was found that the relative error between estimated fracture toughness from theoretical model and one's calculated from CVN impact test have an admissible value equal to 17%.