The effect of void arrays on void linking during ductile fracture

Abstract

As a physical basis for understanding void linking during ductile microvoid fracture, the contrasting behavior of tensile specimens containing random and regular arrays of holes is examined. The results indicate that specimens containing random arrays are less ductile than their regular-array counterparts. The magnitude of this effect depends on the minimum spacing between holes, hole size, and the strain hardening of the material. The experimental results may be understood in terms of the importance of hole/void distribution on a ductile fracture process which is a consequence of both micro- and macroscale shear instabilities.