Assessment of fracture characteristics with X-ray diffraction techniques

This work outlines the fracture properties of partially annealed low carbon mild steel and attempts to predict them using X-ray diffraction techniques. For this purpose sheets 2.5 mm thick with cold reductions of 0%, 28% and 50% were used to produce partially annealed samples (610 °C for 0, 60 and 300 s), the zero condition being the initial condition in each case. For each combination of percentage cold reduction and time of annealing, duplicated tests were performed to determine X-ray line broadening, microstructure, static tensile fracture properties and fatigue crack growth rates. From the results obtained it can be concluded that there is a definite relationship between the line broadening and the fracture characteristics of partially annealed low carbon mild steel. Furthermore, these relations can be used to predict fracture properties from the line broadening results.