We present a phase field modeling framework for hydrogen assisted cracking. The model builds upon a coupled mechanical and hydrogen diffusion response, driven by chemical potential gradients, and a hydrogen-dependent fracture energy degradation law grounded on first principles calculations. The coupled problem is solved in an implicit time integration scheme, where displacements, phase field order parameter and hydrogen concentration are the primary variables. We show that phase field formulations for fracture are particularly suitable to capture material degradation due to hydrogen. Specifically, we model (i) unstable crack growth in the presence of hydrogen, (ii) failure stress sensitivity to hydrogen content in notched specimens, (iii) cracking thresholds under constant load, (iv) internal hydrogen assisted fracture in cracked specimens, and (v) complex crack paths arising from corrosion pits. Computations reveal a good agreement with experiments, highlighting the predictive capabilities of the present scheme. The work could have important implications for the prediction and prevention of catastrophic failures in corrosive environments. The finite element code developed can be downloaded from www.empaneda.com/codes

SUMMARYSigniÿcant increases in apparent ow strength are observed when non-uniform plastic deformation of metals occurs at the scale ranging from roughly one to ten microns. Several basic plane strain problems are analysed numerically in this paper based on a new formulation of strain gradient plasticity. The problems are the tangential and normal loading of a ÿnite rectangular block of material bonded to rigid platens and having traction-free ends, and the normal loading of a half-space by a at, rigid punch. The solutions illustrate fundamental features of plasticity at the micron scale that are not captured by conventional plasticity theory. These include the role of material length parameters in establishing the size dependence of strength and the elevation of resistance to plastic ow resulting from constraint on plastic ow at boundaries. Details of the ÿnite element method employed in the numerical analysis of the higher order gradient theory will be discussed and related to prior formulations having some of the same features.

No abstract

Finite element analysis of stress about a blunt crack tip, emphasizing finite strain and phenomenological and mechanism-based strain gradient plasticity (SGP) formulations, is integrated with electrochemical assessment of occluded-crack tip hydrogen (H) solubility and two H-decohesion models to predict hydrogen environment assisted crack growth properties.SGP elevates crack tip geometrically necessary dislocation density and flow stress, with enhancement declining with increasing alloy strength. Elevated hydrostatic stress promotes high-trapped H concentration for crack tip damage; it is imperative to account for SGP in H cracking models. Predictions of the threshold stress intensity factor and H-diffusion limited Stage II crack growth rate agree with experimental data for a high strength austenitic Ni-Cu superalloy (Monel K-500) and two modern ultra-high strength martensitic steels (AerMet TM 100 and Ferrium TM M54) stressed in 0.6M NaCl solution over a range of applied potential. For Monel K-500, KTH is accurately predicted versus cathodic potential using either classical or gradient-modified formulations; however, Stage II growth rate is best predicted by a SGP description of crack tip stress that justifies a critical distance of 1 µm. For steel, threshold and growth rate are best predicted using high-hydrostatic stress that exceeds 6 to 8 times alloy yield strength and extends 1 μm ahead of the crack tip. This stress is nearly achieved with a three-length phenomenological SGP formulation, but additional stress enhancement is needed, perhaps due to tip geometry or slip-microstructure.

We present a gradient-based theoretical framework for predicting hydrogen assisted fracture in elastic-plastic solids. The novelty of the model lies in the combination of: (i) stress-assisted diffusion of solute species, (ii) strain gradient plasticity, and (iii) a hydrogen-sensitive phase field fracture formulation, inspired by first principles calculations. The theoretical model is numerically