Development of continuum damage in the creep rupture of notched bars

The creep rupture of circumferentially notched, circular tension bars which are subjected to constant load for long periods at constant temperature is studied both experimentally and by using a time-iterative numerical procedure which describes the formation and growth of creep damage as a field quantity. The procedure models the development of failed or cracked regions of material due to the growth and linkage of grain boundary defects. Close agreement is shown between experimental and theoretical values of the representative rupture stress, of the zones of creep damage and of the development of cracks for circular (Bridgman, Studies in large plastic flow and fracture , New York: McGraw-Hill (1952)) and British Standard notched specimens (B.S. no. 3500 (1969)). The minimum section of the circular notch is shown to be subjected to relatively uniform states of multi-axial stress and damage while the B.S. notch is shown to be subjected to non-uniform stress and damage fields in which single cracks grow through relatively undamaged material. The latter situation is shown to be analogous to the growth of a discrete crack in a lightly damaged continuum. The continuum damage mechanics theory presented here is shown to be capable of accurately predicting these extreme types of behaviour.