Numerical Modeling of Hydrogen Diffusion in Metals Accounting for Large Deformations

Abstract

While the deleterious effects of hydrogen on metals and alloys are well known, the precise role of hydrogen in the underlying microscopic mechanisms is still not well understood and as of yet, the modeling attempts on hydrogen embrittlement and hydrogen induced cracking has not led to a proper method for life-time prediction.

This work aims at the development of a robust numerical strategy in order to solve the non-linear coupled problem which accounts for diffusion of hydrogen, diffusion of heat and large elastoviscoplastic deformations. Specifically, problems related to macroscale shear-band formation due to the underlying mechanism of hydrogen enhanced localized plasticity (HELP) will be pointed out and a comparison between the numerical results and the available experimental data will be demonstrated.