Shallow cracks help!

Case Study
A fracture test developed by TWI has helped an Industrial Member solve a toughness
measuring problem.
The member wished to determine the tolerance of a single V MMA butt weld to long surface
cracks in the TIG welded root.
However, the standard BS 7448 deep notched fracture toughness test (a/W > 0.45) is unable
to measure fracture toughness associated with shallow surface cracks. Conventional tests
can result in gross over- or under-estimates of toughness with potentially severe
consequences.
By using TWIs shallow crack fracture mechanics toughness test method, suitable data were
obtained. The toughness results, combined with a fracture mechanics fitness-for-purpose
assessment of the structure, showed that the TIG weld would tolerate long surface cracks to
the full depth of the root. This increased confidence in the use of NDT methods for detecting
significant flaws from the fill-in side (outside) of the weld.
For information about TWIs capabilities please contact us.

http://www.twi-global.com/news-events/case-studies/shallow-cracks-help074/