The Evolution of Internal Damage Identified by Means of X-ray Computed Tomography in Two Steels and the Ensuing Relation with Gurson’s Numerical Modelling

Abstract

This paper analyzes the evolution of the internal damage in two types of steel that show different fracture behaviors, with one of them being the initial material used for manufacturing prestressing steel wires, and the other one being a standard steel used in reinforced concrete structures. The first of them shows a flat fracture surface perpendicular to the loading direction while the second one shows the typical cup-cone surface. 3 mm-diameter cylindrical specimens are tested with a tensile test carried out in several loading steps and, after each of them, unloaded and analyzed with X-ray tomography, which allows detection of internal damage throughout the tensile test. In the steel used for reinforcement, damage is developed progressively in the whole specimen, as predicted by Gurson-type models, while in the steel used for manufacturing prestressing steel-wire, damage is developed only in the very last part of the test. In addition to the experimental study, a numerical analysis is carried out by means of the finite element method by using a Gurson model to reproduce the material behavior.