Creep Behaviour of 316L(N) SS in the Presence of Notch

Creep rupture tests were conducted on plain and notched specimens of 316L(N) SS to assess the notch sensitivity of the material. The notched specimen contained a V-notch at an angle of 600 with root radius of 0.19 mm. The elastic stress concentration factor (Kt) was estimated to be 4.2. The test results showed an increase in creep rupture life of the notched specimen when compared to plain specimen for the same nominal applied stress. Finite element method was used as a tool to analyze the notch behavior of 316L(N) SS during creep deformation. Bailey Norton equation relating steady state creep rate with the applied stress, was used as the constitutive equation to define the creep behavior of the material. The values of triaxial stresses and strain in the notch region under steady state condition were obtained from the analysis. Analysis showed that the failure of notched specimen was predominantly controlled by the maximum principal stress.