A phase field formulation for dissolution-driven stress corrosion cracking
File(s)2011.12068v1.pdf (2.9 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Cui, Chuanjie
Ma, Rujin
Martínez-Pañeda, Emilio
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We present a new theoretical and numerical framework for modelling mechanically-assisted corrosion in elastic-plastic solids. Both pitting and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) can be captured, as well as the pit-to crack transition. Localised corrosion is assumed to be dissolution-driven and a formulation grounded upon the film rupture-dissolution-repassivation mechanism is presented to incorporate the influence of film passivation. The model incorporates, for the first time, the role of mechanical straining as the electrochemical driving force, accelerating corrosion kinetics. The computational complexities associated with tracking the evolving metal-electrolyte interface are resolved by making use of a phase field paradigm, enabling an accurate approximation of complex SCC morphologies. The coupled electro-chemo-mechanical formulation is numerically implemented using the finite element method and an implicit time integration scheme; displacements, phase field order parameter and concentration are the primary variables. Five case studies of particular interest are addressed to showcase the predictive capabilities of the model, revealing an excellent agreement with analytical solutions and experimental measurements. By modelling these paradigmatic 2D and 3D boundary value problems we show that our formulation can capture: (i) the transition from activation-controlled corrosion to diffusion-controlled corrosion, (ii) the sensitivity of interface kinetics to mechanical stresses and strains, (iii) the role of film passivation in reducing corrosion rates, and (iv) the dependence of the stability of the passive film to local strain rates. The influence of these factors in driving the shape change of SCC defects, including the pit-to-crack transition, is a natural outcome of the model, laying the foundations for a mechanistic assessment of engineering materials and structures.
Date Issued
2021-02-01
Date Acceptance
2020-11-23
Citation
Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 2021, 147, pp.1-21
ISSN
0022-5096
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
1
End Page
21
Journal / Book Title
Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
Volume
147
Copyright Statement
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
Identifier
http://arxiv.org/abs/2011.12068v1
Grant Number
RF496/2018
Subjects
physics.app-ph
physics.app-ph
cond-mat.mtrl-sci
cs.CE
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
104254
Date Publish Online
2020-11-27