Continuum mechanics modeling of hydrogen embrittlement

Abstract: This chapter provides material scientists with essential continuum mechanics concepts and theoretical predictions for the stresses and deformation near cracks, dislocations and inclusions. Detailed summaries of classical crack tip continuum solutions are provided, including elastic fields, small deformation elastic-plastic (HRR) fields, large deformation (blunting) fields, and fields associated with steady-state growing cracks. The results emphasize the relationships between crack tip stresses and loading, yield stress and strain hardening parameters, and enable straightforward estimates of the magnitudes and length-scales over which elevated stresses are present. These estimates can be coupled with physical descriptions of various cracking mechanisms described elsewhere in this book. Solutions are also presented for the stresses surrounding elementary configurations of dislocations and inclusions, to enable estimates of hydrogen uptake near such features.