This thesis deals with a high temperature testing of fracture toughness and studies the size effect on measured values using miniature size CT specimen. Two types of specimen geometry were manufactured from P91 steel, the standard size and the quarter size specimen. J-R curves were obtained in the temperature range from 23°C to 600°C. No specimen size effect was observed at room temperature tests. The realized experiments together with fractography analysis demonstrated the drop of toughness at 400°C caused by the effect of dynamic strain aging.

The thesis deals with the determination of fracture toughness using compact tension (CT) test specimens at elevated and high temperatures. The experimental material steel P91 designated for application at temperatures 550650°C was used. The fracture toughness in the ductile fracture region of the steel was characterized by the R curve, which characterises the resistance against crack propagation depending on the crack length. The effect of temperature on the R curve at range 23600°C was evaluated. Next the specimen size effect using three sizes of CT specimens at 23°C and the effect of loading rate (2, 0,2 a 0,02 mm/min) at 600°C was examined. The results showed that the temperature has distinct effect on the R-curve, which yields minimal values at 400°C. Only the smallest test specimen size with thickness 6.25mm showed the specimen size effect giving about 10% lower values of toughness comparing to larger specimens. The effect of loading rate was clearly distinguishable. The values of toughness varied about 20% of the toughness value comparing individual loading rate.

Ce travail concerne des expériences mécaniques, des analyses numériques et des modélisations analytiques de la rupture cohésives (Mode I), vis-à-vis de l’étude du comportement mis en évidence par la courbe de Résistance (Courbe-R) et l’effet d’échelle de structures entaillées en bois massif. Des expériences de fissuration sont combinées à des analyses numériques pour déterminer les propriétés de rupture au moyen d’une procédure appelée Théorie de la Mécanique de la Rupture Linéaire Élastique équivalente (TMRLE), basée sur la complaisance de la structure. La courbe-R, obtenue à partir des expériences, selon une méthode de correction du poids propre, montre l’existence d’un domaine endommagé (Zone de Processus de Rupture) de taille non négligeable se développant en fond de fissure. Dans des conditions de fissuration stationnaire, ce domaine atteint une taille critique, et l’énergie nécessaire pour faire propager la fissure avec ce domaine endommagé (par unité de surface de rupture), reste constante. Le taux de libération de l’énergie de fissuration ainsi attendu, joue un rôle important en Mécanique de la Rupture, car il est possible simuler le comportement quasi-fragile du matériau en combinaison avec les autres propriétés de cohésion. La loi d’effet d’échelle de Bažant, utilisée pour prévoir l’influence de la taille sur la contrainte nominale, est estimée à partir de la réunion de deux comportements asymptotiques réalisés sur de petites tailles (Analyse limite ou RdM) et des grandes tailles. Une procédure analytique est présentée pour évaluer le comportement asymptotique additionnel exhibé par la contrainte nominale dans le régime intermédiaire, de façon plus exacte. Une validation numérique est présentée, et l’information expérimentale vient confirmer ce comportement asymptotique. / This work concerns the mechanical testing, numerical analysis and modelling of cohesive fracture (Mode I) on the purpose to study the Resistance-curve behaviour and the size effect in wooden notched structures. The mechanical testing is combined with the numerical analysis to evaluate fracture properties by means of an equivalent LEFM approach based on the structure compliance. The Resistance-curve being revealed from the experiments, by means of a self-weight compensation method, correction puts into evidence that a non-negligible damaged domain (Fracture Process Zone) is under development in the crack front during the loading process. This being the case, among other fracture parameters issued from the Resistance-curve, the critical (asymptotic) energy release rate is determined, turning possible to use it in combination with other cohesive crack properties in the crack modelling (in Mode I). Thus, for a given geometry it is possible to monitor the critical dimension being revealed by the Fracture Process Zone (FPZ) during the crack propagation. The well known Bažant’s size effect law provides the scaling of the nominal strength through the asymptotic matching performed both on the small (Strength Theory) and on the large (LEFM) structure sizes. An analytical procedure is proposed to determine an additional asymptotic regime in the intermediate size range through a more accurate manner. Numerical validations of the proposed procedure are made and experimental data is presented revealing the scaling of the nominal strength through an envelop of values.