As part of its standardisation activities, the ToughSteel project has kick-started a CEN-CENELEC workshop on fracture toughness evaluation methodologies applied to advanced high strength steel sheets. The initial meeting was held on October 26th on a hybrid format, both online and on the headquarters of the Spanish Association for Standardisation (UNE), organiser of the event.
This workshop launches the activities to provide a guideline describing different methodologies, informing about their suitability, and giving recommendations that can be applied by the manufacturers during the planning, design, and operational phases of the manufacture of AHSS sheets.
As a result of the workshop, which will last until April 2023, two CEN Workshop Agreements (CWA) will be produced. The first will describe the existing methodologies for fracture toughness evaluation in metal sheets. It will compile relevant findings from research developed in previous and ongoing RFCS projects and academic research. It will also provide recommendations to be applied during the planning, design, and operational phases of the manufacture of AHSS sheets and components, as well as successful industrial case studies.
The second one will describe a new testing procedure to estimate the crack propagation resistance of AHSS sheets using a Cracking Resistance Index (CRI) based on fracture mechanics. The procedure provides a fast and simple method that can be implemented as a routine procedure for in-plant quality control and material selection and/or acceptance.
The workshop counted with the participation from representatives from project partners UNE, Eurecat, the Catholic University of Louvain, as well as from CIEMAT, ArcelorMittal, TWI and APERAM. Other organisations interest to join the workshop can contact [email protected].