Fracture statistics of brittle materials: Weibull or normal distribution

The fit of fracture strength data of brittle materials (Si3N4, SiC, and ZnO) to the Weibull and normal distributions is compared in terms of the Akaike information criterion. For Si3N4, the Weibull distribution fits the data better than the normal distribution, but for ZnO the result is just the opposite. In the case of SiC, the difference is not large enough to make a clear distinction between the two distributions. There is not sufficient evidence to show that the Weibull distribution is always preferred to other distributions, and the uncritical use of the Weibull distribution for strength data is questioned.

Weibull modulus for diverse strength due to sample-specificity

By sample specificity it is meant that specimens with the same nominal material parameters and tested under the same environmental conditions may exhibit different behavior with diversified strength. Such an effect has been widely observed in the testing of material failure and is usually attributed to the heterogeneity of material at the mesoscopic level. The degree with which mesoscopic heterogeneity affects macroscopic failure is still not clear. Recently, the problem has been examined by making use of statistical ensemble evolution of dynamical system and the mesoscopic stress re-distribution model (SRD). Sample specificity was observed for non-global mean stress field models, such as the duster mean field model, stress concentration at tip of microdamage, etc. Certain heterogeneity of microdamage could be sensitive to particular SRD leading to domino type of coalescence. Such an effect could start from the microdamage heterogeneity and then be magnified to other scale levels. This trans-scale sensitivity is the origin of sample specificity. The sample specificity leads to a failure probability Phi (N) with a transitional region 0 < (N) < 1, so that globally stable and catastrophic modes could co-exist. It is found that the scatter in strength can fit the Weibull distribution very well. Hence, the Weibull modulus is indicative of sample specificity. Numerical results obtained from the SRD for different non-global mean stress fields show that Weibull modulus increases with increasing sample span and influence region of microdamage.

Influence of threshold stress on the estimation of the Weibull statistics

The influence of threshold stress on the estimation of the Weibull statistics is discussed in terms of the Akaike information criterion. Numerical simulations show that, if sample data are limited in number and threshold stress is not too large, the two-parameter Weibull distribution is still a preferred choice. For example, the fit of strength data of glass and ceramics to the two- and three-parameter Weibull distributions is compared.

Catastrophic Rupture Induced Damage Coalescence in Heterogeneous Brittle Media

In heterogeneous brittle media, the evolution of damage is strongly influenced by the multiscale coupling effect. To better understand this effect, we perform a detailed investigation of the damage evolution, with particular attention focused on the catastrophe transition. We use an adaptive multiscale finite-element model (MFEM) to simulate the damage evolution and the catastrophic failure of heterogeneous brittle media. Both plane stress and plane strain cases are investigated for a heterogeneous medium whose initial shear strength follows the Weibull distribution. Damage is induced through the application of the Coulomb failure criterion to each element, and the element mesh is refined where the failure criterion is met. We found that as damage accumulates, there is a stronger and stronger nonlinear increase in stress and the stress redistribution distance. The coupling of the dynamic stress redistribution and the heterogeneity at different scales result in an inverse cascade of damage cluster size, which represents rapid coalescence of damage at the catastrophe transition.

Catastrophic Rupture Induced Damage Coalescence in Heterogeneous Brittle Media

In heterogeneous brittle media, the evolution of damage is strongly influenced by the multiscale coupling effect. To better understand this effect, we perform a detailed investigation of the damage evolution, with particular attention focused on the catastrophe transition. We use an adaptive multiscale finite-element model (MFEM) to simulate the damage evolution and the catastrophic failure of heterogeneous brittle media. Both plane stress and plane strain cases are investigated for a heterogeneous medium whose initial shear strength follows the Weibull distribution. Damage is induced through the application of the Coulomb failure criterion to each element, and the element mesh is refined where the failure criterion is met. We found that as damage accumulates, there is a stronger and stronger nonlinear increase in stress and the stress redistribution distance. The coupling of the dynamic stress redistribution and the heterogeneity at different scales result in an inverse cascade of damage cluster size, which represents rapid coalescence of damage at the catastrophe transition.

平台用高强度钢多次补焊及TIG熔修的疲劳分析

海洋石油平台在服役期内，由于受到各种环境载荷的交变作用，其受力的焊接构件不可避免地会出现疲劳裂纹。对出现的疲劳裂纹进行补焊修复，可以延长平台的使用期，带来巨大的经济和社会效益。本文通过实验研究，考察了多次补焊对海洋平台用高强度钢焊接接头疲劳性能的影响，以及是否可以通过TIG熔修工艺的采用提高补焊构件的疲劳寿命，达到延长补焊后平台的使用寿命，减少补焊次数的目的。本文涉及的主要研究内容如下：1、考察了多次补焊对焊接接头疲劳寿命的影响。通过对平台用高强度钢焊接接头初焊试样，以及重复三次补焊试样的疲劳实验，得到了各次补焊试样在对数正态分布和威布尔分布下的寿命估算式和考虑了存活率的R-S-N曲线。对实验结果进行了比较和分析，从而考察了多次补焊对焊接接头疲劳性能的影响。2、在每次补焊后，由于焊趾外移造成了焊趾角的变化，使得焊趾处的应力集中系数发生了变化。本文采用有限元方法计算了试样的应力场分布，得到了焊趾处的应力集中系数与焊趾角的关系。考虑到应力集中系数的变化后，对多次补焊试样疲劳实验的实验数据进行了重新处理。3、考察了多次补焊熔修对焊接接头疲劳寿命的影响。本文通过对平台用高强度钢焊接接头补焊及补焊熔修试样的疲劳实验，得到了多次补焊和补焊熔修试样对数正态分布和威布尔分布下的寿命估算式和考虑了存活率的R-S-N曲线。对实验结果进行了比较和分析，从而考察了补焊后采用TIG熔修工艺对焊接接头疲劳性能的影响。4、一次补焊后进行熔修处理可以极大的改善试样的疲劳性能，提高试样的疲劳寿命。但这一结果是在平焊位条件下得出了。为了将这一结果用于实际，还要考察实际操作中大量采用的立焊位条件下熔修的效果。本文完成了立焊位条件下补焊及补焊熔修试样的疲劳实验，得到了相应的S-N曲线。5、疲劳实验数据的处理中，大量采用威布尔分布作为数据统计的分布类型。但由于威布尔分布具有三个参数，给求解带来一定的困难。本文提出一种以在威布尔坐标纸上，数据分布的线形相关系数作为判据的求解威布尔参数的方法，并通过程序加以实现。为了对疲劳实验数据的处理更加方便和直观，编制了“疲劳实验数据处理程序“，将对疲劳实验数据的编辑、分布参数的求解、不同存活率下的疲劳寿命估算和各种分布类型图以及R-S-N曲线的绘制工作包括在该程序中。

非均匀脆性介质破坏的非平衡非线性统计演化

在白以龙小组已有工作的基础上，利用他们提出的简化的耦合斑图模型，几种可能的应力重分配模型在该论文中得到了进一步的讨论。通过不同的应力重分配模型，我们发现了该类演化过程中的三个一般规律，这些规律对于类似的动力过程的预报（例如，非均匀介质的破坏）提供了线索。首先，我们采用系综统计的方法，对相同宏观参量的大量样本的强度分布作了考察，结果表明：宏观强度的统计结果可以非常好的拟合为Weibull分布，且其Weibull模数与系统的大小、应力重分配的方式以及细观单元的强度分布相关。其次，在模拟过程中，对演化过程中的能量释放、损伤事件的统计发现，它们存在标度行为，而且这一标度主要归因于灾变点附近的损伤事件。这一现象表明这一转变具有某种临界特征。最后，对于我们模型中的动力学过程，我们发现了灾变预报的线索。从样本演化过程 中的能量释放规律来看，我们发现有两件事是有意义的：一是辨别出主破坏的发生点（在这一时修，系统中的大部分能量得到释放）；另外，给出转变点（整体稳定转化为演化诱致灾变）的预报。对前一个问题，我们通过考察系统在GS和EIC段的应力损伤涨落特征可以给出回答，通常，在EIC段的最大应力涨落（通常出现在主破坏过程中）比在GS过程中的最大应力涨落高一个数量级，根据这一差异，可以设立一个应力涨落的警戒值来判断系统所处的演化状态。对于后者，受到地震预报中采用的加卸载响应比（LURR）的启发，我们通过对系统中的外回转应力或损伤单元施加一个微增扰动，然后，根据系统在扰动前后释放的能量和相应的扰动，就可以得到临界敏感系数，临界敏感系数在灾变点附近迅速增加，在灾变点之迅速下降到1附近-我们称这一特征为临界敏感性。不同的应力重分配模型下得到了类似的现象，由此看来，对于 类似的动力学过程，临界敏感性是一个一般的特征。这一特征可能为我们对非均匀脆性介质的破坏提供线索。

Fracture Properties of LPCVD Silicon Nitride and Thermally Grown Silicon Oxide Thin Films From the Load-Deflection of Long Si3N4 and SiO2/Si3N4 Diaphragms

The bulge test is successfully extended to the determination of the fracture properties of silicon nitride and oxide thin films. This is achieved by using long diaphragms made of silicon nitride single layers and oxide/nitride bilayers, and applying comprehensive mechanical model that describes the mechanical response of the diaphragms under uniform differential pressure. The model is valid for thin films with arbitrary z-dependent plane-strain modulus and prestress, where z denotes the coordinate perpendicular to the diaphragm. It takes into account the bending rigidity and stretching stiffness of the layered materials and the compliance of the supporting edges. This enables the accurate computation of the load-deflection response and stress distribution throughout the composite diaphragm as a function of the load, in particular at the critical pressure leading to the fracture of the diaphragms. The method is applied to diaphragms made of single layers of 300-nm-thick silicon nitride deposited by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition and composite diaphragms of silicon nitride grown on top of thermal silicon oxide films produced by wet thermal oxidation at 950 degrees C and 1050 degrees C with target thicknesses of 500, 750, and 1000 mn. All films characterized have an amorphous structure. Plane-strain moduli E-ps and prestress levels sigma(0) of 304.8 +/- 12.2 GPa and 1132.3 +/- 34.4 MPa, respectively, are extracted for Si3N4, whereas E-ps = 49.1 +/- 7.4 GPa and sigma(0) = -258.6 +/- 23.1 MPa are obtained for SiO2 films. The fracture data are analyzed using the standardized form of the Weibull distribution. The Si3N4 films present relatively high values of maximum stress at fracture and Weibull moduli, i.e., sigma(max) = 7.89 +/- 0.23 GPa and m = 50.0 +/- 3.6, respectively, when compared to the thermal oxides (sigma(max) = 0.89 +/- 0.07 GPa and m = 12.1 +/- 0.5 for 507-nm-thick 950 degrees C layers). A marginal decrease of sigma(max) with thickness is observed for SiO2, with no significant differences between the films grown at 950 degrees C and 1050 degrees C. Weibull moduli of oxide thin films are found to lie between 4.5 +/- 1.2 and 19.8 +/- 4.2, depending on the oxidation temperature and film thickness.

Fracture properties of silicon carbide thin films by bulge test of long rectangular membrane

This paper reports the mechanical properties and fracture behavior of silicon carbide (3C-SiC) thin films grown on silicon substrates. Using bulge testing combined with a refined load-deflection model of long rectangular membranes, which takes into account the bending stiffness and prestress of the membrane material, the Young's modulus, prestress, and fracture strength for the 3C-SiC thin films with thicknesses of 0.40 and 1.42 mu m were extracted. The stress distribution in the membranes under a load was calculated analytically. The prestresses for the two films were 322 +/- 47 and 201 +/- 34 MPa, respectively. The thinner 3C-SiC film with a strong (111) orientation has a plane-gstrain moduli of 415 +/- 61 GPa, whereas the thicker film with a mixture of both (111) and (110) orientations exhibited a plane-strain moduli of 329 +/- 49 GPa. The corresponding fracture strengths for the two kinds of SiC films were 6.49 +/- 0.88 and 3.16 +/- 0.38 GPa, respectively. The reference stresses were computed by integrating the local stress of the membrane at the fracture over edge, surface, and volume of the specimens and were fitted with Weibull distribution function. For the 0.40-mu m-thick membranes, the surface integration has a better agreement between the data and the model, implying that the surface flaws are the dominant fracture origin. For the 1.42-mu m-thick membranes, the surface integration presented only a slightly better fitting quality than the other two, and therefore, it is difficult to rule out unambiguously the effects of the volume and edge flaws.

Bulge testing and fracture properties of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride thin films

The mechanical properties and fracture behavior of silicon nitride (SiNx) thin film fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition is reported. Plane-strain moduli, prestresses, and fracture strengths of silicon nitride thin film; deposited both oil a bare Si substrate and oil a thermally oxidized Si substrate were extracted using bulge testing combined with a refined load-deflection model of long rectangular membranes. The plane-strain modu i and prestresses of SiNx thin films have little dependence on the substrates, that is, for the bare Si substrate, they are 133 +/- 19 GPa and 178 +/- 22 MPa, respectively, while for the thermally oxidized substrate, they are 140 +/- 26 Gila and 194 +/- 34 MPa, respectively. However, the fracture strength values of SiNx films grown on the two substrates are quite different, i.e., 1.53 +/- 0.33 Gila and 3.08 +/- 0.79 GPa for the bare Si substrate a A the oxidized Si substrate, respectively. The reference stresses were computed by integrating the local stress of the membrane at the fracture over the edge, Surface, and volume of the specimens and fitted with the Weibull distribution function. For SiNx thin film produced oil the bare Si Substrate, the Volume integration gave a significantly better agreement between data and model, implying that the volume flaws re the dominant fracture origin. For SiNx thin film grown on the oxidized Si substrate, the fit quality of surface and edge integration was significantly better than the Volume integration, and the dominant surface and edge flaws could be caused by buffered HF attacking the SiNx layer during SiO2 removal. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fracture properties of PECVD silicon nitride thin films by long rectangular memrane bulge test

Bulge test combined with a refined load-deflection model for long rectangular membrane was applied to determine the mechanical and fracture properties of PECVD silicon nitride (SiNx) thin films. Plane-strain modulus E-ps prestress s(0), and fracture strength s(max) of SiNx thin films deposited both on bare Si substrate and on SiO2-topped Si substrate were extracted. The SiNx thin films on different substrates possess similar values of E-ps and s(0) but quite different values of s(max). The statistical analysis of fracture strengths were performed by Weibull distribution function and the fracture origins were further predicted.

Fracture properties of silicon carbide thin films charcterized by bulge test of long membranes

The mechanical properties and fracture behavior of silicon carbide (3C-SiC) thin films grown on silicon substrates were characterized using bulge testing combined with a refined load-deflection model for long rectangular membranes. Plane-strain modulus E-ps, prestress so, and fracture strength s(max) for 3C-SiC thin films with thickness of 0.40 mu m and 1.42 mu m were extracted. The E, values of SiC are strongly dependent on grain orientation. The thicker SIC film presents lower so than the thinner film due to stress relaxation. The s(max) values decrease with increasing film thickness. The statistical analysis of the fracture strength data were achieved by Weibull distribution function and the fracture origins were predicted.

Relationship between load/unload response ratio and damage variable and its application

The physics-based parameter: load/unload response ratio (LURR) was proposed to measure the proximity of a strong earthquake, which achieved good results in earthquake prediction. As LURR can be used to describe the damage degree of the focal media qualitatively, there must be a relationship between LURR and damage variable (D) which describes damaged materials quantitatively in damage mechanics. Hence, based on damage mechanics and LURR theory, taking Weibull distribution as the probability distribution function, the relationship between LURR and D is set up and analyzed. This relationship directs LURR applied in damage analysis of materials quantitatively from being qualitative earlier, which not only provides the LURR method with a more solid basis in physics, but may also give a new approach to the damage evaluation of big scale structures and prediction of engineering catastrophic failure. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Relationship between load/unload response ratio and damage variable and its application

The physics-based parameter: load/unload response ratio (LURR) was proposed to measure the proximity of a strong earthquake, which achieved good results in earthquake prediction. As LURR can be used to describe the damage degree of the focal media qualitatively, there must be a relationship between LURR and damage variable (D) which describes damaged materials quantitatively in damage mechanics. Hence, based on damage mechanics and LURR theory, taking Weibull distribution as the probability distribution function, the relationship between LURR and D is set up and analyzed. This relationship directs LURR applied in damage analysis of materials quantitatively from being qualitative earlier, which not only provides the LURR method with a more solid basis in physics, but may also give a new approach to the damage evaluation of big scale structures and prediction of engineering catastrophic failure. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.