The fracture behavior of dual phase medium carbon low alloy steels produced using two different chemical compositions (A - 0.34C, 0.75Mn, 0.12Cr, 0.13Ni steel and B - 0.3C, 0.97Mn, 0.15Cr steel) was investigated using circumferential notched tensile (CNT) specimens. Intercritical treatments were performed on samples with composition A by 1) austenitizing at 860 °C for 1 hour cooling in air, then treating at 770 °C for 30 minutes before oil quenching; 2) austenitizing at 860 °C for 1 hour quenching in oil, then treating at 770 °C for 30 minutes before quenching in oil; and 3) austenitizing at 860 °C for 1 hour, super-cooling to 770 °C and then quenching in oil. Samples of composition B were subjected to intercritical treatment at temperatures of 740, 760, and 780 °C for 30 minutes, followed by quenching rapidly in oil. Tensile testing was then performed on specimens without notches and the CNT specimens. It was observed that the dual phase steel produced from procedure (2) yielded a fine distribution of ferrite and martensite which gave the best combination of tensile properties and fracture toughness for composition A while the dual phase structure produced by treating at 760 °C yielded the best combination of tensile properties and fracture toughness for composition B. The fracture toughness results evaluated from the test were found to be valid (in plain strain condition) and a high correlation between the fracture toughness and notch tensile strength was observed. The fracture toughness values were also found to be in close agreement with data available in literature.
fracture toughness; circumferential notched tensile specimens; intercritical treatment; medium carbon low alloy steel
