Fractal-based quantification of crack paths for determination of effective microstructural length scales and fracture toughness

A model to compute an effective microstructural length scale by fractal analysis of self-affine tensile fractographic images has been proposed. Good correlation between the characteristic microstructural length scale and the average circular diameter of voids as well as yield strength is demonstrated for a Cu-strengthened HSLA steel. Using the fractal-based model, fracture toughness is computed, which agrees well with that determined experimentally. (C) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.