Methods for evaluating fracture patterns of polycrystalline materials based on the parameter analysis of ductile separation dimples: A review

Literature sources have been reviewed, various techniques, methods and software for investigating fracture of polycrystalline materials have been subjected to the systematic analysis, and dimples of ductile separation have been quantified. Regularities in the description of fracture patterns inherent in polycrystalline materials at the macro-, meso- and micro-levels have been addressed, their features and parameters have been scrutinized. Algorithms for recognizing and calculating the parameters of dimples of ductile separation in the images obtained by electron microscopy have been analyzed in terms of their functionality and ability to ensure highly informative content and reliability of fractographic control.