On the structural dependence of the stress–strain diagram parameters and fracture toughness of metastable austenitic steels

The results of the investigation into the effect of structure on the variation of yield stresses and fracture toughness of a number of austenitic steels at the temperatures of suppression and evolution of the martensitic transformation are generalized taking into account their chemical composition and mode of loading. The correlations are established between the structural characteristics of steels of the class under consideration and the parameters of the analytic expressions for their stress–strain diagrams that determine the conditions for the competitive influence of the austenite strength, the intensity of the formation process of deformation-induced martensite, its amount and the strength of the strain hardening of the material. The specific character of creating its fracture toughness indices is justified structurally.