Numerical predictions of carburisation and crack evolution using a combined diffusion rate and remaining multi-axial creep ductility damage model

A novel numerical damage model has been developed to combine Fick’s second law of diffusivity with microstructure modelling of environmentally assisted creep damage. The environmental acceleration of material degradation has been modelled and compared with experimental observations. The combined multi-site damage and crack growth model for creep and environmentally assisted time-dependent material oxidation/carburisation based on a gas/solid interface diffusion and non-linear time-dependent creep mechanism is proposed. Numerical predictions are presented to develop a methodology for component lifing. The model allows for the development of a hardened layer due to surface oxidation and predicts damage and cracking during subsequent creep under an applied load. The simulated grain mesh structure used can replicate surface healing or diffuse intergranular cracking and material depletion emanating from the gas/solid surface interface by quantifying the strength ratios between grain and grain boundaries. In this article, oxidation/carburisation is estimated both analytically and numerically using Fick’s diffusion laws and carbon/steel diffusion flux properties available in the literature. It is also shown that carbon diffusion distribution can be related to grain hardening due to carburisation as well as grain/grain boundary strength ratios which could vary as much as a factor of 0.5. The model is validated by comparing with actual oxidation/carburisation data for the long-term oxidised 9-12 Cr steels operating at high temperatures. Finally, it is shown that the mode and rate of surface oxidation and hardening, depending on whether the material is homogenous or contains micro-cracks substantially affects the life time of a component under high temperature creep loading.