A self-consistent relation for the time-dependent creep of polycrystals (Q1260667)

The paper is directed towards development of a self-consistent relation for the time-dependent creep of a polycrystal. The derivation makes use of a linear viscoelastic comparison material, under which the constraint power of the creeping matrix is found to decrease exponentially with the ratio of the creep strain to the elastic strain. It is shown that the accuracy of the traditional elastic-constraint model is better than what is initially thought. The theory suggests that grain-compatability, instead of stress-equilibrium, is the more dominant factor governing the grain-boundary condition during the steady-state process.