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Creep Lab
Creep Lab
St. Augustine
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Chemical and Process Engineering
MENG 1012 SCIENCE OF MATERIALS, 2019-2020
Name of Experiment: Creep Measurement
Date Conducted: 14/02/2020
Date Submitted: 21/02/2020
Name: Gabrielle D’Andrade
ID#: 816018508
Lab Group: L
ABSTRACT
This experiment is aimed to investigate the creep characteristics of a material and to analyse
the implications of the creep characteristics with respect to the selection of material for
engineering applications. Creep is the tendency of a solid material to move slowly or deform
permanently due to constant stress being applied to it. It is favoured by varying temperatures
and applied stresses. Polypropylene strips were tested under a constant applied stress and
varying temperatures; two were used at an ambient temperature, two at a colder temperature
and two at a hotter temperature. An SM1006 creep measurement machine was used to record
the extension of each sample. The values obtained reflected that the polypropylene samples
that had the greater extension also experienced a higher creep stress, and also that higher
temperatures resulted in greater extensions.
INTRODUCTION
Creep occurs in three stages; the primary, secondary and tertiary stage. The strain rate is
relatively high in the primary stage but gradually decreases as time increases due to the
hardening of the material, until it becomes almost constant as the secondary stage starts.
Creep proceeds at a constant rate as a balance is achieved between the work hardening and
the thermal softening process. The strain rate then rapidly increases as the tertiary stage
begins. This is due to ‘necking’ of the specimen and the increased stress. Failure of the
material will occur beyond this point. This process can be graphically represented on an
Extension vs Time graph.
Temperature and stress have a direct effect on creep rate. An increase in stress or temperature
results in an increased creep rate. Higher temperatures will enhance bond movement within
the material which would imply a larger extension per unit time. Similarly, a greater applied
stress means that the specimen would be put under a greater force which results in quicker
stretching of the bonds of the material. This also results in a greater extension per unit time.
An equation relating secondary creep rate “ε” to stress “σ” and absolute temperature T has
−E
the form ε = A σ n e RT where A and n are constants, ε is the creep rate, E is the activation
energy for creep in the metal and R is the universal gas constant (8.31 J / molK). Another
equation that applies to some common engineering plastics is ε =ε 0+ β σ m t k but many
polymers this initial strain is very small and can be ignored, which gives ε =β σ m t k where ε is
the tensile creep strain after a time t, σ is the applied creep stress, ε0 is the instantaneous or
initial strain produced on loading, and β, m, k are constants for a given polymer.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
METHOD
Polypropylene samples were labelled from 1 to 6 and were each measured with a Vernier
calliper to determine the width and thickness. The first sample was secured in the creep
measurement apparatus and a 0.6kg weight was added. The data was recorded for 10 minutes
before the first sample was removed and sample 2 was secured in the apparatus, and the
0.6kg weight was replaced with a 0.5kg weight. This process was repeated for the rest of
samples, with a cold pack being added to the insulator and then followed by a hot pack being
added.
RESULTS
Table 2: Values of Extension and the Times recorded for Sample 1 at Ambient Temperature
with 0.6kg Weight
Tim Specimen ln Time ln
e Extension Extension
(s) (mm)
0 0 0 0
10 0.67 2.302585 -0.40048
20 0.71 2.995732 -0.34249
30 0.73 3.401197 -0.31471
40 0.76 3.688879 -0.27444
50 0.78 3.912023 -0.24846
60 0.79 4.094345 -0.23572
70 0.8 4.248495 -0.22314
80 0.81 4.382027 -0.21072
90 0.82 4.49981 -0.19845
100 0.83 4.60517 -0.18633
110 0.84 4.70048 -0.17435
120 0.85 4.787492 -0.16252
130 0.87 4.867534 -0.13926
140 0.87 4.941642 -0.13926
150 0.87 5.010635 -0.13926
160 0.88 5.075174 -0.12783
170 0.88 5.135798 -0.12783
180 0.89 5.192957 -0.11653
190 0.9 5.247024 -0.10536
200 0.91 5.298317 -0.09431
210 0.91 5.347108 -0.09431
220 0.92 5.393628 -0.08338
230 0.92 5.438079 -0.08338
240 0.93 5.480639 -0.07257
250 0.93 5.521461 -0.07257
260 0.94 5.560682 -0.06188
270 0.94 5.598422 -0.06188
280 0.94 5.63479 -0.06188
290 0.95 5.669881 -0.05129
300 0.96 5.703782 -0.04082
310 0.96 5.736572 -0.04082
320 0.97 5.768321 -0.03046
330 0.97 5.799093 -0.03046
340 0.97 5.828946 -0.03046
350 0.98 5.857933 -0.0202
360 0.98 5.886104 -0.0202
370 0.99 5.913503 -0.01005
380 0.99 5.940171 -0.01005
390 0.99 5.966147 -0.01005
400 1 5.991465 0
410 1 6.016157 0
420 1.01 6.040255 0.00995
430 1.01 6.063785 0.00995
440 1.01 6.086775 0.00995
450 1.02 6.109248 0.019803
460 1.02 6.131226 0.019803
470 1.03 6.152733 0.029559
480 1.03 6.173786 0.029559
490 1.03 6.194405 0.029559
500 1.03 6.214608 0.029559
510 1.03 6.234411 0.029559
520 1.03 6.253829 0.029559
530 1.04 6.272877 0.039221
540 1.04 6.291569 0.039221
550 1.04 6.309918 0.039221
560 1.05 6.327937 0.04879
570 1.05 6.345636 0.04879
580 1.05 6.363028 0.04879
590 1.05 6.380123 0.04879
600 1.06 6.39693 0.058269
Table 3: Values of Extension and the Times recorded for Sample 2 at Ambient Temperature
with 0.5kg Weight
RESULTS
CALCULATIONS
The temperatures of the samples that were exposed to a setting above or below ambient
temperature are found by using the equation:
T = Ta + 0.4(Tt – Ta)
Tt = 20ºC
T = 22.1 + 0.4(20.0-22.1)
=21.26ºC
The 0.5kg and 0.6kg masses provide the forces F1 and F2 respectively.
Total Mass (m) = Applied mass + Effective mass of + mass of Weight Hanger + mass of
arm at “p” Support Pin
FT = m x g x 8
67.5
σ1=
( 4.78∗0.98 ) ¿
¿
σ 1 =14.4 N /mm2
ε =β σ m t k
y = mx + c
Gradient, k = 0.1202
Temperature
Sample Gradient (k) y intercept, C m β
of Sample
DISCUSSION
Out of the six samples tested, five showed to experience secondary creep while sample 5
experienced tertiary creep. This is seen as the graphs for the samples excluding sample 5
were relatively constant, and the graph for sample 5 had a slight increase. As the creep rate is
determined by the gradient of the graphs, it can be seen that sample 5 has the highest creep
rate/ gradient, followed by sample 6 (both of which were subject to a heated environment).
This confirms that samples exposed to higher temperatures tend to have a larger creep rate.
Similarly, samples in the colder environment had the lowest creep rate/ gradient.
This experiment is necessary in the industry as it can be applied to the engineering testing of
plastics, to investigate their creep characteristics under various environmental conditions.
This will aid in the construction of numerous physical specimen as we would have a further
understanding of their behaviour.
Some sources of error include not releasing the arm as soon as the timer was started, wind or
other external factors causing the weights to shake which might have altered the readings and
the insulator not being secured tightly. Also, there was an uncertainty of +or- 0.01mm present
in the Vernier calliper.
Precautions include checking the Vernier calliper for zero errors prior to use, and that two
samples were used for each temperature to ensure greater accuracy.
Some recommendations include applying the mass for a longer period of time and placing the
hot/cold pack with the samples in the insulator a few minutes before starting to read values,
to allow thermal equilibrium to be achieved.
It can be concluded that as temperature increases, the creep rate increases, as creep stress
increases, polypropylene experiences very small extensions when a creep stress is applied,
and that plastics are more suitable for use at lower temperatures.
APPENDIX
1.2
f(x) = 0 x + 0.73
1
0.8
Extension/mm
0.6
Specimen Extension (mm)
Linear (Specimen Extension
0.4 (mm))
0.2
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Time/s
-0.2
ln Extension
Linear (ln Extension)
-0.3
-0.4
-0.5
ln time
1
0.9 f(x) = 0 x + 0.65
0.8
0.7
Extension/mm
0.6
0.5
Specimen Extension (mm)
0.4
Linear (Specimen Extension
0.3 (mm))
0.2
0.1
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Time/s
-0.2
ln extension
-0.3
ln Extension
Linear (ln Extension)
-0.4
-0.5
-0.6
ln time
1.2
1
f(x) = 0 x + 0.68
0.8
extension/ mm
0.6
Specimen Extension (mm)
Linear (Specimen Extension
0.4 (mm))
0.2
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
time/ s
-2
-2.5
ln Extension
-3 Linear (ln Extension )
-3.5
-4
-4.5
-5
ln Time
0.8
f(x) = 0 x + 0.58
0.7
0.6
extension/mm
0.5
0.4
Specimen Extension (mm)
0.3 Linear (Specimen Extension
(mm))
0.2
0.1
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
time/s
-0.2
ln extension
f(x) = 0 x − 0.49
-0.3
-0.4 ln Extension
Linear (ln Extension)
-0.5
-0.6
-0.7
ln time
1.8
1.6 f(x) = 0 x + 0.88
1.4
1.2
extension/mm
1
0.8 Specimen Extension (mm)
Linear (Specimen Extension
0.6 (mm))
0.4
0.2
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
time/s
-2
ln Extension
Linear (ln Extension)
-3
-4
-5
ln time
1.4
f(x) = 0 x + 0.76
1.2
1
extension/mm
0.8
0.2
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
time/s
0.1
0
ln extension
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
-0.1
ln Extension
-0.2 Linear (ln Extension)
-0.3
-0.4
-0.5
ln time