| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 785430 | International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping | 2012 | 7 Pages |
The LICON methodology is a newly developed approach for predicting the lifetime of materials under creep loading condition. The LICON method has gained attention for application to newly developed materials, for which there is little existing creep-rupture data, and for their welded structures. The LICON method predicts long term uniaxial creep strength using the results from several short duration creep crack incubation tests in conjunction with the outcome of a mechanical analysis (e.g. involving finite element analysis, at least initially for a new material and/or multi-axial specimen geometry). In this study, the sensitivity of results from the LICON method to input conditions for the associated finite element analysis is investigated. Two important considerations for creep finite element analyses are the mesh configuration and the type of creep constitutive model used. In order to evaluate the sensitivity of the outcome of the approach to finite element mesh condition, twelve different configurations in terms of size, geometry and interpolating formulation are examined. Moreover, to examine the sensitivity of the outcome of the approach to the type of creep equation employed, three constitutive models have been evaluated. Finally, the sensitivity of the LICON approach to the evaluated conditions have been discussed with reference to the information contained in a comprehensive creep-rupture database available for a 1%CrMoV steel at 550 °C.
► LICON is an approach for predicting long term uniaxial creep strength from short duration multi-axial creep tests. ► LICON predictions can be sensitive to FEA input conditions such as mesh detail and creep model. ► Recommendations are made on selection of FE mesh configuration and element size convergence conditions. ► Scope of data represented by creep model is just as important as type of model adopted. ► For 1%CrMoV at 550 °C, FE implementation of 2RN secondary creep model is shown to be effective.
