| Abstract: | This paper reports steady‐state stress distributions within the weld metal in a welded branch component, via detailed three‐dimensional elastic‐creep finite element analyses. The creep exponent and constants for the base and weld metal are systematically varied to simulate under‐matching, even‐matching and over‐matching conditions in creep. Various loading conditions are also considered to see the effect of the loading mode. It is found that the mismatch effect in creep on steady‐state stresses within the weld metal can be uniquely quantified by the mismatch factor, defined as a function of creep exponent and constant. Ratios of section‐averaged (effective and maximum principal) stresses for the mismatched case to those for the even‐matched case are linearly dependent on the mismatch factor. |
