Weibull stress analysis in local approach to fracture

As a measure of the probability of cleavage fracture, the Weibull stress within the framework of local approach has the potential capability to predict constraint effects on fracture of structural steels. This paper mainly analyzes Weibull stress considering constraint effect using constraint parameters T-stress and Q. Weibull stress is solved with constraint effects characterized by T-stress for elastic material and Q for elastic plastic material. These solutions are verified with existing solutions for T = 0 and finite element solutions including modified boundary layer models, contact tension models and single-edge bend models. Good agreement has been obtained in all cases. The Weibull stress solutions can be further adopted to predict scale fracture toughness.