Effect of specimen geometries on the C∗ versus da/dt master curve for type 316L stainless steel

This work deals with engineering components made of stainless steels working at high temperature and subjected to creep-fatigue loading history. The defect assessment procedures generally use the crack growth properties curve da/dt versus C∗ parameter for estimating the creep-crack growth. The ASTM E 1457-98 [ASTM E 1457-98. Standard test method for measurement of creep crack growth rates in metals, 1998] procedure proposes the rule to establish such a master curve. In particular, it is stipulated that this rule only applies for CT specimens. Previously [Laiarinandrasana L, Kabiri R, Drubay B. In: Gupta A, editor. Proceedings of the 16th international conference on structural mechanics in reactor technology, Washington, USA, 2001], some practical methodology to produce this crack growth curve on CT specimens has been described by introducing the way to determine the upper and lower limits of relevant experimental points and by adopting the ASTM E 1457-98 method to estimate the creep component of the load line displacement rate (dδ/dtbehavior). This latter is the interesting part of the total displacement rate recorded during the test. This paper focuses on the application of the procedure proposed in [Laiarinandrasana L, Kabiri R, Drubay B. In: Gupta A, editor. Proceedings of the 16th international conference on structural mechanics in reactor technology, Washington, USA, 2001] on specimen geometries other than CT, such as circumferentially cracked round bar (CCRB) and double edged notched in tension (DENT) specimens. The da/dt versus C∗ curves issued from all of these specimens are compared. Discussion about the effect of geometry on these curves is carried out. Additionally, some finite element analyses have been performed in order to simulate the creep crack growth using the node release technique. These simulations allow to verify the validity of the proposed expressions of C∗ and consequently the master curve of the 316L(N) stainless steel.