Time-Dependent Creep Analysis for Life Assessment of Cylindrical Vessels Using First Order Shear Deformation Theory

In the present study, assuming that the thermo-elastic creep response of the material is governed by Norton's law, an analytical solution has been developed for the purpose of time-dependent creep response for isotropic thick-walled cylindrical pressure vessels. To study the creep response, the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is applied. To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, in the literature, there is no study carried out into FSDT for time-dependent creep response of cylindrical pressure vessels. The novelty of the present work is that it seeks to investigate creep life of the vessels made of 304L austenitic stainless steel (304L SS) using Larson-Miller Parameter (LMP) based on FSDT. Using this analytical solution, stress rates are calculated followed by an iterative method using initial thermo-elastic stresses at zero time. When the stress rates are known, the stresses at any time are obtained and then using LMP, creep life of the vessels are investigated. The Problem is also solved, using the finite element method (FEM), the result of which are compared with those of the analytical solution and good agreement was found. It is found that the temperature gradient distribution has significant influence on the creep life of the cylinder, so that the maximum creep life is located at the outer surface of the cylinder where the minimum value of temperature is located.