DIFFUSIONAL CREEP AND SINTERING - THE APPLICATION OF BOUNDING THEOREMS

In this paper upper and lower bound theorems for the creep and sinteri ng response of bodies which deform by grain-boundary diffusion control led mechanisms are presented. The utility of the bounds is demonstrate d by using them to analyse the classical problem of Hull-Rimmer void g rowth. Further insight into the material response when diffusion mecha nisms dominate is provided by analysing the response of two contacting spheres, which represents a fundamental problem for the analysis of s tage 1 sintering.