Simulations of creep crack growth in 316 stainless steel using a novel creep-damage model

The paper provides an advanced creep model which gives reasonable descriptions of the effects of damage and stress state from micromechanics viewpoint. A modified creep ductility exhaustion approach is employed to calculate the creep damage. Based on the proposed creep-damage model, numerical analyses of creep crack growth are conducted with a failure simulation technique. The simulated results are compared favorably with available experimental data for compact tension and thumbnail crack specimens for 316 stainless steel tested at 600 °C. The comparisons show the excellent capability of the proposed model in predicting the crack growth rate and progressive crack profiles.

► A creep model reasonably describing effects of damage and stress state is proposed.
► A modified creep ductility exhaustion approach is employed to calculate the damage.
► User subroutines to ABAQUS based on the proposed method are developed.
► FE results of load line displacement, crack length and growth rate are validated.
► For thumbnail cracks, crack profiles and propagation times are precisely predicted.