Modeling hydrogen attack effect on creep fracture toughness

The effect of high temperature hydrogen attack on creep crack growth rates in steels is studied by modeling the interaction between creep deformation and gaseous pressures generated by hydrogen and methane. The equilibrium methane pressure as a function of hydrogen pressure, temperature and carbide types for carbon steels and Cr–Mo steels is calculated. This gaseous driving force is incorporated into a micromechanics model for void growth along grain boundaries of a creeping solid. Growth and coalescence of voids along grain boundaries is modeled by a microporous strip of cell elements, referred to as the fracture process zone. The cell elements are governed by a nonlinear viscous constitutive relation for a voided material. Two rate sensitivities as well as two types of grain boundaries are considered in this computational study. Simulations of creep crack growth accelerated by gaseous pressures are performed under conditions of small-scale and extensive creep. The computed crack growth rates at elevated temperatures are able to reproduce the trends of experimental results.

► We study the effect of high temperature hydrogen attack on creep crack growth rates in steels.
► Growth and coalescence of voids along grain boundaries is modeled by a microporous strip of cell elements.
► The cell elements are governed by a nonlinear viscous constitutive relation for a voided material.
► Computational simulations show that fracture toughness is a non-monotonic function of crack velocity.
► The computed crack growth rates at elevated temperatures are able to reproduce the trends of experimental results.