Biaxial Creep Strains at Notch Roots—Measurement and Modeling

Abstract

Biaxial strains were measured at the roots of single notches in zirconium alloy specimens under loading and creep conditions (up to 1200 hours) at 250°C. A laser-based interferometric technique was used; details of the measurement procedures are given in another paper. Here, the Bodner model is incorporated into the ABAQUS finite element code and used to predict the biaxial strains at the notch root during loading and for a creep duration of 100 hours. The strains during loading agree quite well with the measured ones while the predicted creep strains are smaller. This discrepancy is attributed to the lack of precision in determining the constants for the Bodner model from smooth-specimen tests. Both the measurement technique and the Bodner model are well-suited for studies of notch response.