Abstract
Single frame structures with notches were fractured by applying drop impact loadings at room temperature and low temperature. Johnson-Cook shear failure model has been employed to simulate the fractured single frame structures. Through several numerical analyses, material constants for Johnson-Cook shear failure model have been found producing the cracks resulted from experiments. Fracture strain-stress triaxiality curves at both room temperature and low temperature are presented based on the extracted material constants. It is expected that the fracture strain-stress triaxiality curves can offer objective fracture criteria for the assessment of structural fractures of polar class vessel structures fabricated from DH36 steels. The fracture experiments of single frame structures revealed that the structure on low temperature condition fractures at much lower strain than that on room temperature condition despite the same stress states at both temperatures. In conclusion, the material properties on low temperature condition are essential to estimate the fracture characteristics of steel structures operated in the Northern Sea Route.
