Effect of Elastic Accommodation on Diffusion-Controlled Cavity Growth in Metals

Abstract

The effect of elastic accommodation on the grain boundary diffusion-controlled void growth was analyzed using an axisymmetric unit cell model. An incremental form of the virtual work principle was used to formulate the boundary value problem involving grain boundary diffusion. The model accounts for material elasticity and void interaction effects. Analyses are performed for initially spherical voids spaced periodically along the grain boundary. The results of the analyses on void growth rates agree well with the Hull-Rimmer model after the initial transient time. During the elastic transient, void growth rates can be several orders of magnitude higher than the steady state growth rate. Though the elastic transient time may occupy a small portion of the total rupture time, in metallic components experiencing cyclic loading conditions with short hold times, elasticity effects may be important. [S0094-4289(00)00903-8]