Standard Test Method for K-R Curve Determination
The K-R curve characterizes the resistance to fracture of materials during slow, stable crack extension and results from the growth of the plastic zone ahead of the crack as it extends from a fatigue precrack or sharp notch. It provides a record of the toughness development as a crack is driven stably under increasing applied stress intensity factor K. For a given material, K-R curves are dependent upon specimen thickness, temperature, and strain rate. The amount of valid K-R data generated in the test depends on the specimen type, size, method of loading, and, to a lesser extent, testing machine characteristics
