Influence of pre-strain on fracture toughness of 3rd generation advanced high strength steels

Abstract. The present work investigates the influence of pre-strain on the fracture toughness of 3rd Generation Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS). Specifically, a Carbide Free Bainitic (CFB) and a Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) steel have been studied, the properties of which are crucial for lightweight vehicle construction. Fracture toughness, which is a key parameter for crash performance applications, is assessed using the Essential Work of Fracture methodology. The study investigates the pre-straining states of uniaxial tension, plane strain, and equibiaxial tension in 1.5 mm Q&P and 1.4 mm CFB sheet-form steels of 1180 MPa tensile strength. Overall, Q&P steel demonstrates superior fracture toughness compared to CFB steel. Remarkably, the specific essential work of fracture (we) remains unaffected by pre-straining across different strain states. Nevertheless, pre-straining exerts a notable influence on the non-essential plastic work (βwp) due to the plastic energy consumed during pre-deformation. These results suggest that pre-strain has little or no influence on the fracture properties of AHSS, which is relevant for the design and manufacturing of high crash-performance and safety-related components.