Measurement uncertainty of plane-strain fracture toughness KIC testing by the Monte Carlo method

Abstract

The reliable determination of materials’ mechanical properties is a fundamental factor for their application in engineering, and the estimation of the measurement uncertainty in testing laboratories has a direct impact on the interpretation of the results. Recent literature demonstrates that one of the most widely used methodologies for uncertainty estimation, the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM), has limitations, especially in cases where the mathematical model has a high degree of non-linearity. Furthermore, it makes approximations for the final probability distribution. In these cases, it is recommended that the measurement uncertainty is determined by the Monte Carlo Method (MCM), which considers the propagation of the distribution rather than the propagation of uncertainties. Thus, given the limitations of the GUM method and the importance of estimating the measurement uncertainty of mechanical tests, this work aims to implement the measurement uncertainty estimation for the plane-strain fracture toughness (KIC) test of metallic materials through the Monte Carlo Method. The results of the work confirm the importance of estimating the measurement uncertainty of fracture toughness tests.