COMPUTATIONAL PREDICTIONS OF HYDROGEN ASSISTED FRACTURES [Keynote]

Hydrogen significantly reduces the ductility, toughness and fatigue crack growth resistance of metals, which leads to premature failures across many industrial sectors and compromises the role of hydrogen as energy carrier in the transition to a low carbon economy. This paper provides an overview of the efforts by the author and his collaborators in developing a computational framework capable of predicting hydrogen-assisted failures by providing a mechanistic description of hydrogen uptake, transport and embrittlement. Phase field and multi-physics (electro-chemo-mechanical) modelling are combined to resolve the physical processes at play. The ability of the computational models developed to deliver predictions in agreement with laboratory experiments and over scales relevant to engineering practice is showcased.
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