Analysis of creep stresses and strains around sharp and blunt V-notches

Geometrical discontinues, such as notches, need careful consideration due to stress concentration appearing in their proximity. Notches become even more dangerous in the case of mechanical and structural components subjected to high temperature and cyclic loading resulting often in localized creep deformations. It appears, based on the current state of art, that needed are numerical or analytical tools enabling the analysis and simulation of creep deformations near notches. The knowledge of notch tip stresses and strains can be used as the input into stress-strain creep models used for strength and fracture evaluations of mechanical and structural components. The method discussed below is based on considerations of the strain energy density variations near notches. Several examples concerning V-notches have been analysed to validate the concept. Finally, the problem associated with the analysis of sharp notches and cracks is discussed in terms of the proposed methodology.