The specimen structure with embedded cracks served at elevated temperature was studied. The constraint effect and creep crack initiation time were analysed using the ductility exhaustion approach by 3D finite element method. The results revealed that the max value of constraint parameter was located at the end of major axis of elliptical crack

and the constraint levels enlarge with increasing the crack length or the crack depth

which meant that embedded cracks with a larger

a

/

t

or

a

/

c

woul

d suffer from worse condition of stress concentration and there would be more dangerous. Besides

for the creep crack initiation times

the structure with a larger

a

/

t

or

a

/

c

or loadings would accompany high crack driving force under creep condition

which could cause a shorter period to creep cracking initiation

as well as a smaller creep crack initiation time. Additionally

a prediction equation and engineering method of the constraint parameters and creep crack initiation time for embedded cracks was proposed

and the prediction method of creep crack initiation time was validated.