Modeling Creep and Continuous Fracture Process Zones in Spatial Prismatic Bodies.

The semianalytic finite-element method is used to develop a method for solving problems of creep and continuous fracture of complex spatial bodies. The method allows modeling the variation of the stress-strain state during creep, accompanying accumulation of dispersed microdamages, and development of macroscopic effects—continuous fracture process zones. The growth of a continuous fracture process zone is modeled. A criterion is formulated for determination of the applicability limits of continuum damage mechanics. The method is exemplified by the problem of deformation and continuous fracture of a gas turbine blade [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]