The development of finite element software for creep damage analysis

Creep deformation and failure in high temperature structures is a serious problem for industry and is becoming even more so under the current increasing pressures of power, economics and sustainability. Laboratory creep tests can be used in the description of creep damage behaviour; however, it’s usually expensive and time-consuming. Thus, the computer-based finite element (FE) technique is considered here for both time and economic efficiency. This project aims to develop an in-house FE software for creep damage analysis. A novel in-house FE software High Temperature Structural Integrity (HITSI) was developed through the use of Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM) and finite element method (FEM) in conjunction with an advanced engineering computer programming language (Fortran 2003) based on an objected oriented programming (OOP) approach. This research provides four main contributions. First, a critical review of the current state of obtaining the computational capability for creep damage analysis. This critical review presents the advantages through the use of in-house software in analysing creep damage behaviour and the state-of-the-art research advancements and technologies need to be involved in developing in-house software. Second, the proposed OOP approach in design and development of in-house FE software for creep damage analysis. Third, the prototyping and implementation of a practical in-house FE software HITSI for analysing creep damage behaviour. The general flow diagram and development strategy of HITSI were proposed. Fourth, the benchmark test of HITSI via the numerical investigation of creep damage behaviour of a Cr-Mo-V steam pipe weldment case. The efficiency of the integration algorithms (Euler and Runge-Kutta) and normalized Kachanov-Rabotnov creep damage constitutive equation was investigated and commented. Generally, this project provides a novel in-house software prototype that allow the scientist to simulate the behaviour of creep damage in particular to analysis the evolution of creep damage in welds