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A. De Santis et alii, Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 26 (2013) 12-21; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.26.02 13 both sort of “nodule core” (obtained during the solidification from the melt) and a “graphite shield” (obtained by means of Carbon solid diffusion through the austenite shield during the DCI cooling) that is connected to the pearlitic matrix. Figure 1 : Pearlitic DCI: graphite – matrix debonding [V1] . Figure 2 : “Onion-like” mechanism [V2] . The last mechanism (Fig. 3 - V3) is the crack nucleation and growth corresponding to the nodule center, probably the nodule nucleation site. Always corresponding to a loading value that is lower than DCI yield strenght, a crack nucleates in the nodule center: the macroscopic deformation increases, implying both a crack propagation inside the graphite element (with a crack path that is orthogonal to the loading direction) and an increase of the crack opening. Corresponding to the higher deformation level, both the “onion-like” and the matrix – graphite debonding mechanisms are also active. Figure 3 : Crack initiation and propagation in the “nodule core” [V3] .