Simulation of Stress-Corrosion Cracking by the Cohesive Model

Abstract

The effect of hydrogen on the mechanical behaviour is twofold: It affects the local yield stress and it accelerates material damage. On the other hand, the diffusion behaviour is influenced by the hydrostatic stress, the plastic deformation and the strain rate. This requires a coupled model of deformation, damage and diffusion. The deformation behaviour is described by von Mises plasticity with pure isotropic hardening, and crack extension is simulated by a cohesive zone model. The local hydrogen concentration, which is obtained from the diffusion analysis, causes a reduction of the cohesive strength. Crack extension in a C(T) specimen of a ferritic steel under hydrogen charging is simulated by fully coupled diffusion and mechanical finite element analyses with ABAQUS and the results are compared with test results.