SED criterion estimations of fracture loads in structural steels operating at lower shelf temperatures and containing u-notches

This paper presents the application of the Strain Energy Density (SED) criterion for the estimation of fracture loads on structural steels S275JR and S355J2 operating at lower shelf temperatures (−120 °C and −196 °C, respectively) and containing U-shaped notches. With this purpose, 24 fracture tests were performed on each material, combining 6 different notch radii (0 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.50 mm, 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm). The results obtained in cracked specimens (0 mm notch radius) were used to derive the fracture properties, while the rest of the specimens were used to compare the experimental fracture loads to those predicted by the SED criterion. The capacity and the limitations of the SED criterion in providing this kind of estimations have been shown.