Original ResearchVol. 78, Issue 4 • pp. 1123-1135DOI: 10.1007/s12666-025-03456-7
Quantitative Evaluation of the Fracture Toughness of the Q345 Steel Using the Essential Work of Fracture Method
Authors: Y. Zhang, L. Chen, X. Wang, H. Liu
The essential work of fracture (EWF) method was employed to quantitatively evaluate the fracture toughness of Q345 steel, a widely used structural steel. Double-edge notched tension (DENT) specimens with varying ligament lengths were tested, and the specific essential work of fracture (we) was determined to be 312 kJ/m². The results were compared with those from the J-integral method, showing good agreement. The EWF method proved to be a reliable and simple approach for characterizing the fracture toughness of ductile steels, providing a practical tool for material selection and quality control in engineering applications.
Graphical Abstract