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In-service inspections of high temperature pressureequipment show that weldments are prone to creep and fatiguedamage. It is not uncommon that severely damaged weldments arefound even before the design life of the component has beenreached. In order to improve this situation action has beentaken during the last decades, both from industry, universitiesand research institutes, aiming at an enhanced understanding ofthe weldment response. The work presented in this thesis focuses on numericalsimulation of weldment creep response. For a more profoundunderstanding of the evolution of creep damage in mismatchedlow alloy weldments, simulations are performed using thecontinuum damage mechanics, CDM, concept. Both design and lifeassessment aspects are addressed. The possibility to assessseam welded pipes using results from tests of cross-weldspecimens taken out from the seam is investigated. It is foundthat the larger the cross-weld specimen the better thecorrelation. The advantage to use the CDM concept prior to aregular creep analysis is also pointed out. In order to developthe CDM analysis, a modified Kachanov-Rabotnov constitutivemodel is implemented into ABAQUS. Using this model, a secondredistribution of stresses is revealed as the tertiary creepstage is reached in the mismatched weldment. Creep crack growth, CCG, in cross-weld compact tension, CT,specimens is investigated numerically where a fracturemechanics concept is developed in two steps. In the first one,the C*value and an averaged constraint parameter areused for characterising the fields in the process zone, whilein the second step, the creep deformation rate perpendicular tothe crack plane and a constraint parameter ahead of the cracktip, are used as characterising parameters. The influence oftype and degree of mismatch, location of starter notch as wellas size of CT specimen, is investigated. Results show that notonly the material properties of the weldment constituentcontaining the crack, but also the deformation properties ofthe adjacent constituents, influence the CCG behaviour.Furthermore, the effect of size is influenced by the mismatchof the weldment constituents. A circumferentially cracked girth weld with differentmismatch is assessed numerically by use of the fracturemechanics concept developed. The results show that type anddegree of mismatch have a great influence on the CCG behaviourand that C*alone cannot characterise crack tip fields.Corresponding R5 assessments are also performed. Comparisonwith the numerical investigation shows that the assumption ofplane stress or plane strain conditions in the R5 analysis isessential for the agreement of the results. Assuming the formerresults in a relatively good agreement for the axial stressdominated cases while for the hoop stress dominated cases, R5predicts higher CCG rates by an order of magnitude. <b>Keywords:</b>ABAQUS, constraint effect, continuum damagemechanics, creep, creep crack growth, design, design code,finite element method, fracture mechanics, life assessment,mismatch, numerical simulation, weldment

<p>In-service inspections of high temperature pressureequipment show that weldments are prone to creep and fatiguedamage. It is not uncommon that severely damaged weldments arefound even before the design life of the component has beenreached. In order to improve this situation action has beentaken during the last decades, both from industry, universitiesand research institutes, aiming at an enhanced understanding ofthe weldment response.</p><p>The work presented in this thesis focuses on numericalsimulation of weldment creep response. For a more profoundunderstanding of the evolution of creep damage in mismatchedlow alloy weldments, simulations are performed using thecontinuum damage mechanics, CDM, concept. Both design and lifeassessment aspects are addressed. The possibility to assessseam welded pipes using results from tests of cross-weldspecimens taken out from the seam is investigated. It is foundthat the larger the cross-weld specimen the better thecorrelation. The advantage to use the CDM concept prior to aregular creep analysis is also pointed out. In order to developthe CDM analysis, a modified Kachanov-Rabotnov constitutivemodel is implemented into ABAQUS. Using this model, a secondredistribution of stresses is revealed as the tertiary creepstage is reached in the mismatched weldment.</p><p>Creep crack growth, CCG, in cross-weld compact tension, CT,specimens is investigated numerically where a fracturemechanics concept is developed in two steps. In the first one,the C^*value and an averaged constraint parameter areused for characterising the fields in the process zone, whilein the second step, the creep deformation rate perpendicular tothe crack plane and a constraint parameter ahead of the cracktip, are used as characterising parameters. The influence oftype and degree of mismatch, location of starter notch as wellas size of CT specimen, is investigated. Results show that notonly the material properties of the weldment constituentcontaining the crack, but also the deformation properties ofthe adjacent constituents, influence the CCG behaviour.Furthermore, the effect of size is influenced by the mismatchof the weldment constituents.</p><p>A circumferentially cracked girth weld with differentmismatch is assessed numerically by use of the fracturemechanics concept developed. The results show that type anddegree of mismatch have a great influence on the CCG behaviourand that C^*alone cannot characterise crack tip fields.Corresponding R5 assessments are also performed. Comparisonwith the numerical investigation shows that the assumption ofplane stress or plane strain conditions in the R5 analysis isessential for the agreement of the results. Assuming the formerresults in a relatively good agreement for the axial stressdominated cases while for the hoop stress dominated cases, R5predicts higher CCG rates by an order of magnitude.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>ABAQUS, constraint effect, continuum damagemechanics, creep, creep crack growth, design, design code,finite element method, fracture mechanics, life assessment,mismatch, numerical simulation, weldment</p>

The relationship between crack path and test method was examined by comparing the performance of adhesive-adherend combinations (six) in quasi-static fracture, mixed-mode fatigue, and creep crack growth. Crack paths in creep and quasi-static fracture were similar due to similar crack-tip plastic zone sizes in the epoxy adhesive even though the crack growth rates in creep were much smaller. Under condensed moisture and mixed-mode, creep and threshold fatigue tests produced interfacial failure. Under room-temperature dry environment, near threshold mixed-mode fatigue was interfacial, but was not in creep or quasi-static fracture. Smaller plastic zone size and crack path proximity to the interface that followed increased the sensitivity of near threshold, mixed-mode fatigue to surface properties. Therefore, the interfacial or cohesive failure of an adhesive system, which may judge the quality of the bond, can be a function of the test being conducted and may not be an absolute indicator of joint quality.

The relationship between crack path and test method was examined by comparing the performance of adhesive-adherend combinations (six) in quasi-static fracture, mixed-mode fatigue, and creep crack growth. Crack paths in creep and quasi-static fracture were similar due to similar crack-tip plastic zone sizes in the epoxy adhesive even though the crack growth rates in creep were much smaller. Under condensed moisture and mixed-mode, creep and threshold fatigue tests produced interfacial failure. Under room-temperature dry environment, near threshold mixed-mode fatigue was interfacial, but was not in creep or quasi-static fracture. Smaller plastic zone size and crack path proximity to the interface that followed increased the sensitivity of near threshold, mixed-mode fatigue to surface properties. Therefore, the interfacial or cohesive failure of an adhesive system, which may judge the quality of the bond, can be a function of the test being conducted and may not be an absolute indicator of joint quality.

Des fissures intergranulaires ont été observées sur des composants évoluant dans un environnement CO2 à haute température (550°C). Le matériau, un acier austénitique inoxydable de nuance 316H, est soumis à des sollicitations en fluage. L'objectif de la thèse est de permettre une meilleure compréhension du mécanisme d'endommagement par fluage et des effets de l'environnement sur l'apparition et la propagation de ces fissures. Une synergie entre la simulation par éléments finis et la mesure de champs cinématiques au moyen de la Corrélation d'Images Numériques (CIN) a été créée pour aborder ce problème avec une approche locale, à l'échelle de la microstructure. Une méthode de CIN adaptée au suivi de la fissuration basée sur l'utilisation des expressions de la Mécanique Linéaire Elastique de la Rupture a été développée. Une validation expérimentale sur essai de traction in-situ sur microéprouvettes pré-fissurées de matériau 316H est proposée. / At elevated temperature (550°C) in CO2 environment, intergranular creep cracks have been observed in thermally and environmentally aged 316H austenitic stainless steel. The objective of this work is to enhance the understanding of the creep crack mechanism and the effects of environment on crack initiation and growth. Some microtests on Single Edge Notched Tensile specimen (SENT) have been performed to better describe the interaction between chemistry and mechanics at the microstructural scale. A creep crack monitoring procedure using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) have been developped and assessed using Finite Element Modelling (FEM) of cracked bi-crystal. Based on a projection on Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics expressions, the crack parameters (crack tip position, orientation) can be determined and the growth can be measured. A validation on in-situ tensile tests on SENT 316H specimen is proposed.

Cílem této diplomové práce je řešit problematiku poškozování svařovaných polyolefinových potrubí. Prezentovaná práce je zaměřena na numerické modelování kvazi-křehkého porušování, které je přímým důsledkem šíření creepové trhliny. Svařování polyolefinových potrubí vnáší do oblasti svaru nehomogenní rozložení materiálových vlastností a tvar svarového výronku způsobuje vznik geometrických koncentrátorů napětí. Posouzení těchto vlivů na životnost svarového spoje a výpočet polyolefinových potrubí je hlavním cílem této práce. V práci je uveden popis několika experimentálních testů (především CRB a PENT) k určení materiálových vlastností popisujících kinetiku trhliny. Výsledky práce jsou prezentovány pro polyetylenové potrubí (PE 100 110 x 6.3 SDR 17.6). Polyetylen je jeden z nejčastěji používaných materiálů právě v oblasti potrubních systémů. Prezentované výsledky práce mohou být použity i pro jiný polyolefinový materiál. Predikce životnosti polyolefinových potrubí je založena na lineárně elastické lomové mechanice (LELM) a koncepci faktoru intenzity napětí. Diplomová práce doplňuje tuto metodologii výpočtu životnosti o výpočet svařovaných polyolefinových potrubí z pohledu lomové mechaniky s náznakem možnosti budoucího výzkumu.

A new methodology of polymer pipe lifetime estimation taking into account residual stresses is described in this thesis. Engineering equations derived based on numerical simulations of a hydrostatic pressure test are proposed. Residual lifetime calculations were performed for different loading conditions using experimental data of a creep crack propagation in studied material and stress distribution in the pipe wall. The effects which significantly influence lifetime estimation were quantified with special focus on residual stresses.