Creep Test

Reading Assignment: 8.14 and 8.15 in Callister

Objectives
Recognize and define creep and specify the conditions under which it occurs.
Recognize the time and temperature dependence in creep deformation.
Present creep results in terms of strain versus time at a given temperature and
load and describe the three regions of the creep curve.
Calculate the steady state creep rate and the rupture lifetime from the creep
curves for a given material.
Describe the equipment necessary to conduct a creep test under constant load.
New Technical Terms
Creep: Time-dependent permanent deformation of a material under constant loading
at high temperatures.
Stress-rupture: Fracture of a material due to creep.
Introduction
So far we have studied mechanical properties of metals at room temperature and we
assumed rightly so that they are independent of time. If we apply a constant elastic
stress on a metal specimen at room temperature, the elastic deformation is calculated
as
e= /
(1)
where E is the elastic modulus, is the applied stress, and e is the elastic stress.
Since the elastic modulus is constant, the elastic strain is a function only of the stress.
If we repeat the same test for a metal at a high temperature the metal will immediately
deform elastically and then continue to deform at a constant slow rate for a period of
time before it increases rapidly until fracture. The time dependent deformation under
constant load at high temperatures is called creep and the resulting strain is a function
of the applied stress, temperature, and time. The temperature at which a material starts
to creep depends on its melting point. It is found that creep in metals starts when the
temperature is > 0.3 to 0.4 Tm (the melting temperature in Kelvin). Most metals have
high melting points and hence they start to creep only at temperatures much above
room temperature. This is the reason why creep is less familiar phenomena than
elastic or plastic deformation. For example, creep of carbon steels is important at
temperatures above 500 C, aluminum starts to creep above 100 C, and since lead is
a low melting metal (Tm = 600 K) it creeps even at room temperature.
Where creep is important?
In design, we seek materials that will carry the design loads without failure for the
design life at the service temperature. Creep is an important consideration in design in
three types of high temperature applications:
1. Displacement-limited applications in which precise dimensions or small
clearances must be maintained such as in turbine rotors in jet engines) (Figure
1a).

2.

3.

Rupture-limited applications in which precise

dimensions are not essential but fracture must be
avoided such as in high-pressure steam tubes and
pipes (Figure 1b).
Stress-relaxation-limited applications in which
an initial tension relaxes with time such as in
suspended cables and tightened bolts (1c)

In these types of applications, design engineers must

consider creep deformation and its dependence on
time and temperature. Many mechanical systems and
components like turbines, steam boilers, and reactors
operate at high temperatures and creep properties for
the materials used must be determined.
Figure 1: Creep limited designs

Creep Test
The main objective in a creep test is to measure how a
given metal or an alloy will perform under constant
load, at elevated temperatures. In a creep test, a
tensile specimen (with similar dimensions as a tensile
test specimen) is subjected to a constant load inside a
furnace where the temperature is maintained constant.
Figure 2 illustrates a simple setup for creep testing.
The resulting deformation or strain is measured and
plotted as a function of elapsed time. Figure 3 shows
a schematic creep curve for a metal tested at constant
load until rupture. Metals, polymers, and ceramics all
show similar strain-time behaviors. The instantaneous
strain is purely elastic and can be calculated by
equation 1 with E as the modulus at the testing
temperature. The creep curve in Figure 3 demonstrates
three regions of strain-time behavior:
1.

2.

3.

Figure 2: A creep test setup

Primary creep where the rate of change of strain

(creep rate=/t) decreases with time due to
strain hardening of the material.
Steady-State creep where the strain increases
linearly with time. From design point of view, this
region is the most important one for parts designed
for long service life because it comprises the
longest creep duration. The main creep test result is
the slope of this region which is known as the
steady-state creep rate (s). During this stage of
creep, there is a balance between strain hardening
due to deformation and softening due to recovery
processes similar to those occurring during the
annealing of metals at elevated temperature.
Tertiary-creep where the strain increases rapidly
until failure or rupture. The time to failure is often
Figure 3: A creep curve

called the time to rupture or rupture lifetime (tr). This parameter is an important
consideration in designing against creep for parts intended for short-life
applications. To determine the rupture lifetime, the creep test must be conducted
to the point of failure. Such test is also known as the stress rupture test or creep
rupture test.
Testing either at higher stresses or higher temperatures will increase the steady-state
creep rate (s) and reduces the rupture lifetime (tr) as illustrated in Figure 4. Note that
the strain is constant and independent of time for temperatures below 0.4 Tm.
Experiments suggest that the combined influence of applied stress and temperature on
the steady state creep rate can be represented as
s = K n exp (-Qc/RT)

(2)

where, K is the creep constant, Qc is the

activation energy for creep, n is the creep
exponent (lies between 3 and 8), and R is
the gas constant. The values of the three
constants K, Qc, and n describe the creep of
a given material and if they are known, you
can calculate the steady state creep rate at
any temperature and stress using equation 2.
However, these parameters vary from
material to material, and have to be determined
experimentally.

Figure 4: the creep curves at higher

stresses or temperatures

Test Procedure
Low melting point metals such as lead (Tm = 600 K) can creep even at room
temperature (298 K) and we will generate the creep curve for lead specimens using
the creep machine shown in Figure 5. The testing procedure is as follows:
1. Remove any load from the arm.
2. Write down the specimen cross-sectional
area and its gauge length.
3. Carefully mount the lead specimen in the
upper and lower grips.
4. Zero the dial gauge (which measures the
elongation in mm).
5. Gently apply the load as per the
instruction of your instructor. Note that
the lever gives a mechanical advantage of
8:1. (stress = load*8*9.8/area)
Figure 5: A creep test machine
6. Immediately record the instantaneous
elongation on the dial.
7. Record the elongation every 30 seconds until failure.
8. Perform the test at least twice at two different loads and at room temperature (800
and 1000 g).
9. Repeat the tests at the same loads used above but at higher temperatures (35 C)

Lab Report
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.
6.

Plot the strain as a function of time for each test and calculate the steady state
creep rate for each combination of load and temperature.
List the rupture lifetime for all tests in one table as a function of stress and
temperature.
Plot the creep rupture data as the logarithm of stress versus the logarithm of
rupture lifetime at constant temperature (similar to Figure 8.28, p. 223 in your
textbook). This is called the stress-rupture-curve.
Estimate n from creep rate versus stress data according to Equation 2. Assume
that n is independent of temperature.
Estimate the parameters K and Qc.
Prepare the report in the standard format.