Application of a Non-Interactive Constitutive Model for Life Prediction of 2.25Cr-1Mo Under Creep-Fatigue

Despite the significant progress in the development of modern alloys, low alloy steels continue to be the materials of choice for large structural components at elevated temperature for extended periods of time. The resistance of these alloys to deformation and damage under creep and/or fatigue at elevated temperature make them suitable for components expected to endure decades of service. The material 2.25Cr-1Mo is commonly applied in boilers, heat exchanger tubes, and throttle valve bodies in both turbomachinery and pressure-vessel/piping applications alike. It has an excellent balance of ductility, corrosion resistance, and creep strength under moderate temperatures (i.e., up to 650°C). In the present work, a life prediction approach is developed for situations where the material is subjected conditions where creep and fatigue are prevalent. Parameters for the approach are based on regression fits in comparison with a broad collection experimental data. The data are comprised of low cycle fatigue (LCF) and creep fatigue (CF) experiments. The form of the life prediction model follows the cumulative damage approach where dominant damage maps can be used to identify primary microstructural mechanism associated with failure. Life calculations are facilitated by the usage of a non-interacting creep-plasticity constitutive model capable of representing not only the temperature- and rate-dependence, but also the history-dependence of the material. For the inelastic response, both the Garofalo and Chaboche models for creep and plasticity are employed, respectively.