Boundary element approach to creep deformation of edge notched and cracked specimens

A direct formulation of the boundary element method using a complex variable numerical approach is presented for the time-dependent inelastic stresses in edge notched and cracked creeping metallic structural components subject to high temperature gradients. Particular attention is focused on the numerical evaluation of energy rate contour integrals in single edge cracked specimens in tension. The constitutive models used in the numerical calculation are internal state variable creep–plasticity or elastic power law creep model. Numerical results are compared with solution obtained from other methods for different loading rates.