Elastic follow-up factors to estimate C(t) under secondary loading

This paper proposes a method to determine the elastic follow-up factors for C(t)-integral under secondary stress. The rate of creep crack growth for transient creep is correlated with C(t)-integral. The elastic follow-up behaviour, which occurs in structures under secondary loading, prevents a relaxation of stress during transient creep. Thus, both the value of C(t) and creep crack growth increase with an increasing elastic follow-up. An estimation solution for C(t) has been proposed by Ainsworth and Dean based on the reference stress method. In order to predict the value of C(t) using this solution, an independent method to determine the elastic follow-up factors for cracked bodies is required. This paper proposes that the elastic follow-up factors for C(t) can be determined by elastic-plastic analyses by using the plastic-creep analogy. Finite element analyses have been performed to verify this method.