33

where the symbols A’, n, Q, E, R and T denote respectively the structure dependent

parameter, true stress exponent, true activation energy, temperature-dependent

Young’s modulus, gas constant and operating temperature.

The threshold stress based creep law given by Eqn. (2.18) may alternatively

be expressed as,

ε&e = [M (σ e − σ o )] n (2.19)

1/ n
1⎛ −Q⎞
where, M = ⎜ A ' exp ⎟
E⎝ RT ⎠

The creep parameters M and σ o appearing in Eqn. (2.19) are dependent on

the type of material and operating temperature (T). In a composite, the dispersoid

size (P) and its content (V) are the primary variables affecting these parameters.

Therefore, these parameters are functions of dispersoid size (P), volume content of

the dispersoid (V) and operating temperature (T). But the functional relations,

describing dependence of M and σ o on P, V and T, are scant. The values of M and

σ o can be extracted from the experimental creep results reported for aluminum or

its alloy based composites under uniaxial loading.

2.3.7 Estimation of Threshold Stress

It is evident from Fig. 2.8 that the variation of creep rate with applied stress

for the composites generally exhibits curvature at higher creep rates when creep

strain rates are measured over more than five orders of magnitude. The apparent

stress exponent, na ( = ln ε& / ln σ ), decreases with increasing stress, which is usually

considered to be an indicator for the presence of threshold stress, below which

creep does not occur. This similarity indicates that the creep behavior of these