Continuum damage mechanics analyses of type IV creep failure in ferritic steel crossweld specimens

Abstract A major high temperature failure mechanism for weldments in ferritic steel steam pipework is circumferential creep cracking within the region of the heat affected zone, adjacent to the parent material, that experiences the lowest temperatures during the welding process. This is commonly known as type IV cracking. In recent years a number of experimental studies have investigated the occurrence of type IV failure in laboratory test pieces, however, there have been few attempts at theoretical modelling of type IV failure to assist in the formulation of design and assessment procedures. This report discusses the use of the creep continuum damage mechanics method for the analysis of the deformation and failure of weldments that are known to fail within the type IV region. The creep behaviour of each of the material regions of a weldment is described with a set of physically based constitutive equations, which incorporate a number of state variables. The finite element creep continuum damage mechanics method is used, with the physically based constitutive equations, to analyse the deformation and failure of the welded testpieces. The computations are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The implications of the analyses are discussed with reference to the assessment of weldments that are susceptible to type IV failure.