Numerical and experimental evaluation of the residual stress relaxation and the influence zone due to application of the crack compliance method

Abstract

This paper presents the results concerning an evaluation of the crack compliance method. The research was focused on the relaxation caused by a cut induced to obtain the data required to calculate the residual stress field. The main objective in this research is to establish the optimum place to cut in a specimen that has suffered a failure and how extended is the zone of relaxed stresses. It has been recognized that a crack vanishes the beneficial or detrimental effects of the residual stress fields. This research has been performed in a numerical and experimental way, so results can be compared and FEM on this topic can be assessed. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.