5. Correlations between test results

5.1 The value of correlations between fracture test results

Fracture tests vary in ease and cost. The most economical in terms of quantity of material, and the simplest to perform, are Charpy V tests without recording. However, it would often be useful for the judicious design of a structure to have an idea of the NDT zero ductility temperature or the CAT crack arrest curve without having carried out the corresponding tests. Having correlations between the results of the various tests provides an approximate answer to this question.

Predicting the fracture behavior of a cracked structure is possible thanks to the fracture mechanics covered in the