MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

CAMBRIDGE, MA 02139
2.002 MECHANICS AND MATERIALS II
Spring, 2004
Creep and Creep Fracture: Part III
Creep Fracture
c L. Anand
Mechanisms of Creep Fracture
Figure 1: Creep strain-time curve for constant stress at
constant temperature
Figure 2: The upper row refers to low temperatures
(0.3 T
M
) where plastic ow does not depend strongly
on temperature or time; the lower row refers to the
temperature range (0.3 T
M
)in which materials creep.
Image removed due to copyright considerations.
Figure 3: Schematic of creep fracture mechanisms
Figure 4: Schematic of uniaxial stress versus time to
fracture data
Figure 5: Map of isothermal fracture data for
Nimonic-80A
Image removed due to copyright considerations.
Figure 6: Map of isothermal fracture data for 304
stainless steel
Image removed due to copyright considerations.
Figure 7: Map of isothermal fracture data for 316
stainless steel
Image removed due to copyright considerations.
Figure 8: Micrographs of copper plates illustrating the
continuous distribution of creep damage in plates
containing notches and subjected to far-eld uniaxial
tension. Note that it is predominantly the grain
boundaries perpendicular to the applied stress that are
preferentially damaged.
Image removed due to copyright considerations.
Creep Fracture
1. Creep Rupture Diagram
log = log

C(1/)logt
f

C
t
1/
=
C
t
f
=
f

Times to failure are normally presented as creep rup-

ture diagrams. Their application is obvious. If you
know the stress and temperature you can read o the
life; for a given design life at a certain temperature,
you can read o the stress.
2. Monkman-Grant
C
t
f
=

s
_

c
ss

0
_
1/n
=
_ _

/n

=
_
s
_

ss

/n

t
f
(
ss
c
)

= C (Monkman and Grant)

1 and C 0.1 the creep strain to Typically,

fracture 10%
3. Time-Temperature Equivalence
Data is given in terms of in psi, t
f
in hours and T
in degrees Rankine (460+
0
F).
Example Problem on Creep
A support beam made of 18Cr8Ni stainless steel
is to be used in a chemical reaction chamber operat-
ing at 600
0
C. The beam geometry and loading are
idealized as shown below.
The performance requirements are that
1. The beam is to carry a constant load F =600N.
2. No macro-crack formation due to creep fracture in
25 years.
3. Tip-deection not to exceed 4cm in 25 years.
Determine if the beam meets the performance speci-
cations. If either of the failure criteria are not met,
then what is the maximum value of F that the beam
can carry and not fail?
_ _
Data for 304 Stainless Steel

c
=B
n
;B = 1.09510
18
, n= 4.5
ss
n
||
1
=
0
;
0
= 1 10
9
sec ,s= 98MPa, n= 4.5
s
Image removed due to copyright considerations.
"Master Rupture Curve for 18-8 Stainless Steel."
Solution:
M(x) = F(Lx) 0xL
(x,y) =
M(x)
|y|
1/n
sgn(y)
I
n
(1)
_
I
n
= |y|
1+1/n
dA
A
_ _ _
_ _
For a rectangular beam
n
I
n
= bh
2
_
h
_
1/n
(2)
2 +4n 2
n

2
v
_
|M|
_
=
0
sgn(M)
x
2
sI
n
BCs:
v
v = 0 at x= 0, and

= 0 at x= 0
x
n
|F| 1 (Lx)
n+2
+L
n+1
L
n+2
_
v =
0
x
sI
n
n+1 n+2 n+2
|F|
n
L
n+2

= |v(x=L)|=
0
(3)
sI
n
n+2

Check for Macro-crack Formation
From (1) and (2)

2y

1/n
M(x)
(x,y) =
_ _

sgn(y)
n
bh
2
h
2+4n
Since M(x) = F(Lx), maximum moment is at x= 0,
i.e., M
max
=FL, and maximum tensile stress occurs at
y =h/2, we get
_
=
_ _
FL 600N 1m

max
=
_
n
bh
2 3
4.5
0.020.04
2
m
2+4n 2+44.5

max
= 83.33MPa, and since 1MPa = 145psi, we get

max
= 12,083psi. Thetemperatureis600
0
C =1112
0
F =
1572
0
R
From Larson-Miller master curve for 18-8 stainless steel,
log=logpq p and q are constants
Solve for q:
log(
a
/
b
)
q = ; logp=log
a
+q
a

a
For
a
= 10,000psi,
a
= 41,000;
for
b
= 2,000psi,
b
= 50,000
Therefore, q =
log(5)
= 7.7710
5
9000
Solve for p: logp=log10,000+(7.7710
5
)41,000=
7.1842
p= 1.5310
7
Now, with
LM
=T(20+log(t
f
)),
log=logpqT(20+logt
f
)
_ _
1/(qT)
p
log =log(10
20
t
f
)

or
t
f
= 10
20
(p/)
1/(qT)
wheret
f
is the rupture time in hours,T isthetemperature
in degrees Rankine and is the stress in psi.
_
_ _
1
1.5310
7
7.7710
5
1572
t
f
20
12,083
20
1.266210
3
_
8.187
= 2.51310
5
,
t
f
.69
a macro-crack on the side
is

= 10
= 10 hours
Since 1year=365 24=8760hours
= 28 years
Therefore, will form tensile
of the beam after approximately 28 years. The beam
safe for 25 years.
Check for Deection
_ _
|F|
n
L
n+2

=
0
sI
n
n+2
_
h
_
1/n
n
I
n
= bh
2
2 +4n 2
For b = 0.02m, h = 0.04m, n = 4.5, I
n
= 3.0184
m
[3+(1/4.5)]
, 10
6
F = 600N,
0
= 10
9
sec
1
, and s =
9810
6
N/m
2
_ _
4.5
_ _
_ _
(1m)
[2+4.5]_
10
9_
600N

=
2
) (3.018410
6
m
[3+(1/4.5)])_ _
6.5
_
sec
_
(9810
6
N
m

= 3.710
9
m/s = (3.710
9
m/s)t
t = 25 years = 25y 365da/y 24h/da 3600sec/h =
7.88410
8
sec
Therefore,
= (3.710
9
)m/s(7.88410
8
)s= 2.951m
Too much deection!
A deection of 4cm would occur after only
0.04m
t= = 1.0810
7
sec=3000hours
3.710
9
m/s
The load has to be decreased substantially. For a total
deection of 4 10
2
m in 25years
410
2
m

= = 5.010
11
m/s
25y365da/y24h/da3600s/h
From
_ _
1/n

(

/
0
)

F =
_ _

sI
n
=231N = 52 lbf
_ _
L
n+2
n+2
Alternatively, the ratio of the deections is the ratio of
the deection rates, which in turn are proportional to the
load ratio, raised to the power n= 4.5;
_ _
4.5
|F| .04m/25y
=
600N 2.951m/25y
_ _
1
.04 4.5
|F| =600N =600N(.01355)
.2222
=231N.
2.951