Prediction of fracture strength factor for the fracture behavior of 304 stainless steel

In industrial applications using 304 stainless steel, the anticipation of ductile fracture is a key aspect. In this study, we investigate the ductile fracture behavior of this material by using a fracture strength factor closely related to cumulative damage. To accurately identify the parameters of the damage model, numerical simulations and tensile tests are conducted to comprehensively understand the mechanical behavior of 304 stainless steel. To verify the effectiveness of the damage model, three different varieties of 304 stainless steel bars subjected to different stress triaxiality are tested. The results indicate a strong correlation between theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experimental findings, demonstrating the robustness of the damage model in different cases. In addition, the reliability of the fracture strength factor is confirmed by geometrically evaluating the changes in V-shaped notches. The observation results indicate that as the root radius of the V-shaped notch increases and decreases, the fracture strength factor decreases accordingly. This trend is closely related to the behaviors represented by the stress concentration factor and strain rate concentration factor. The proposed method for predicting ductile fracture behavior has made significant advancements in this field, enabling accurate estimations while minimizing costs and reliance on a wide range of experimental methods.