Notch Effect on Low Cycle Fatigue in Creep-Fatigue at High Temperatures: Experiment and Finite Element Method Analysis

Abstract

This paper describes the notch effect on low cycle fatigue in creep-fatigue conditions by experiments and finite element method (FEM) analysis. FEM analyses for cyclic and monotonic loadings were made, and the analytical results were compared with the measured strain at the notch root using a high temperature strain gage. The calculated strain by FEM agreed well with the measured strain if we used the proper FEM model and proper constitutive equation. In order to examine the accuracy of life prediction by FEM analysis, low cycle fatigue tests were also carried out using SUS 304 stainless steel for notched plate and notched round bar specimens. Life prediction by FEM analysis had sufficient accuracy; the applicability of other conventional life prediction methods was also discussed.