A new creep-fatigue interaction damage model and CDM-XFEM framework for creep-fatigue crack growth simulations

In this paper, a coupled continuum damage mechanics (CDM) and extended finite element method (XFEM) based methodology is developed to predict the crack growth life under creep-fatigue environment. To predict the life accurately, a new simple nonlinear creep-fatigue interaction (CFI) damage model is presented. In the combined methodology of CDM and XFEM, the XFEM computes stresses in cracked domain and the coined CFI damage equation determines specimen life under creep-fatigue environment. The simulations are performed for different hold time and compared with experiments. The simulated results confirm that proposed CFI damage model along with developed CDM-XFEM framework is a simple and effective methodology for determining creep-fatigue crack growth life efficiently.