ENME 2711

Experiment 3: Creep Test

Performed: 09/27/1991

Johan Dreher

OBJECTIVE The creep test provides valuable information to analyze the materials behavior under constant loads and high temperatures. Lead is a particular metal with has a low melting temperature, therefore it creeps at room temperature. The objective of this experiment is to perform a creep test to a lead specimen, and to draw the creep curve with the obtained results.

THEORY Materials are often placed in service at elevated temperatures and exposed to static mechanical stresses. Deformation under such circumstances is termed creep. Creep deformation Creep deformation is dependent on time and temperature. A typical creep test consist of subjecting a specimen to a constant load or stress while maintaining the temperature constant; deformation or strain is measured and plotted as a function of elapsed time. The figure shows a typical creep curve shape. It is helpful to divide the in the curve in three periods of time. Primary creep occurs first, typified by a continuously decreasing creep rate; that is the slope diminishes with time. This suggests that the material is experiencing an increase in creep resistance or strain hardening. In the secondary creep section, the creep rate is constant, so the plot becomes linear. This is often the stage of creep that is of longer duration. Finally, for the tertiary creep, there is an acceleration of the rate and ultimate failure. This type of failure is called rupture; it occurs due to grain boundary separation, and the formation of internal cracks, cavities, and voids. For tensile loads, it is often to see a neck formation in the specimen during this creep stage.

APPARATUS Creep Machine SM1006 Versatile data acquisition system (VDAS) Lead creep test specimen

PROCEDURES Create a blank table of results. Accurately measure and record the width and thickness of the specimen and enter your measurements and type of specimen into the software. Put the weight hanger in position and fit its support pin in its highest hole to hold the arm up and ready for the test specimen. Fit the steel specimen support clips to the specimen. Fit the specimen into place between the black support block and the arm, and fit the pins. Put the transparent comer into place around the specimen. Make sure that the thermometer is in its hole in the top of the cover and its tip is near to the specimen. Wait for at least five minutes for the temperature reading to stabilize, and then record the temperature around the specimen. Fit a suitable weight to the weight hanger, to give a stress that gives the longest test time that you can allow. If you are to use VDAS, enter the masses into the software. Ask an assistant to prepare the timed data acquisition for 30 second intervals and continue indefinitely. Carefully remove the weight hanger support pin from the highest hole in the weight hanger. Switch on the digital indicator and press its origin button to set its display to zero. Make sure that it is set to work in reverse (press the +/- button so that the word REV is shown in its display). Lift the weight hanger and support it while you fit the support pin in the lowest rubber mat (supplied) onto the base plate, underneath the weight hanger. Record the specimen extension every 30 seconds (0.5 minutes), until it fractures or stop extending due to the limits of the machine. Save the recorded data for further analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 1: Elongation measurement.

Time (minutes) 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5 13 13.5 14 14.5 15 15.5 16 16.5 17 17.5 18 18.5 19 19.5 20 Extension (mm) 1.12 1.21 1.28 1.33 1.38 1.41 1.46 1.5 1.53 1.56 1.59 1.63 1.66 1.7 1.74 1.79 1.83 1.88 1.93 1.98 2.05 2.11 2.19 2.28 2.39 2.48 2.59 2.71 2.83 2.97 3.1 3.26 3.43 3.62 3.82 4.04 4.3 4.64 5.07 5.89

Table 2: Important data.

Specimen material Width (mm) Thickness (mm) Temperature around specimen (C) Weights (N) Total mass at 'P' (kg) Secondary creep rate (mm/minute) Lead 4.8 1.6 25.5 13.1454 1.34 0.214

The results in Table 1 show an increasing elongation every 30 seconds. When these results are plotted, as shown in the next section, we can see that the shape of the curve is similar to the typical creep curve. The results of our creep test turned out to be very accurate, because the experiment was performed with modern and precise equipment. Thanks to that we can notice the linear behavior of the curve between the times 11 and 15 minutes. We can also notice the increasing and decreasing slope in the primary and tertiary creep respectively. Table 2 shows some important measurements related to the experiment set up. It also shows the secondary creep rate, which is the slope of the most linear part of the graphic. The slope was calculated using a function in Excel.

CONCLUSION We performed a successful creep test to the lead specimen. The creep diagram reflected the typical creep behavior, so we can conclude that the results were pretty accurate. In the tertiary creep, the slope increases because the specimen is about to fail and internal cracking is occurring within the material.

QUESTIONS 1. Fill the table (Table 1). The table is shown in the results and discussion section. 2. Plot a chart of specimen extension (mm) on the vertical axis against time (minutes) on the horizontal axis, and analyze the curve.
7

Extension (mm)

0 0 5 10 Time (minutes) 15 20 25

The curve has the typical creep curve shape, so the measurements were very accurate. We can identify quite easily the different sections of the curve (primary creep, secondary creep, and

tertiary creep). The secondary creep section is approximately between the 11th and 15th minute. Rupture occurred after 20 minutes of constant tensile loading.

3. On the most linear (secondary creep) part of the curve, calculate the gradient. This is the creep rate (in mm/minute). The secondary creep rate was calculated within the range of 11 and 15 minutes, which is the most linear part of the curve. It was calculated using the slope function in Excel. The result turned out to be 0.214 mm/minute.