Multi-scale modeling of crack propagation

Itakura, Mitsuhiro  ; Kaburaki, Hideo; Yamaguchi, Masatake   ; Ebihara, Kenichi   

An attempt to identify the mechanism of stress corrosion cracking by numerical simulations is presented, in which we are trying to validate a hypothetical oxygen embrittlement mechanism. This mechanism involves diffusion of oxygen and embrittlement caused by oxygen, and its simulation requires integration of oxygen diffusion model and crack growth model. This paper presents the basic framework of integrated model and some preliminary simulation results, and show that the integrated model captures the basic properties of stress corrosion cracking such as rapid increase of growth rate at critical stress and its gradual increase above the critical stress.