ABSTRACT
Abstract For a low-strength and a high-strength steel the dependence of the crack growth resistance curves from specimen size and geometry are numerically investigated. The fracture process is controlled by critical values of the crack tip opening displacement (CTODi) for crack growth initiation and the local crack tip opening angle (CTOAc) for stable crack growth. The resistance curves are analysed in terms of both the J-integral and the energy dissipation rate. The results show basically different geometry and size effects for the low-strength and the high-strength steel as they are observed experimentally. Keywords: Finite element analyses, stable crack growth, R-curves, energy dissipation rate, geometry and size effects, low-strength and high-strength steel.
