3B4 INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS

Tutorial Worksheet 7: Creep

Problem 1.
A specimen 750 mm long of a low carbon–nickel alloy (Figure below) is to be exposed to a tensile stress of 40
MPa at 538˚C. Determine its elongation after 5000 h. Assume that the total of both instantaneous and primary
creep elongations is 1.5 mm.

Solution
This problem asks that we determine the total elongation of a low carbon-nickel alloy that is
exposed to a tensile stress of 40 MPa at 538˚C for 5000 hours. The instantaneous and
primary creep elongations together are 1.5 mm

From the 538 ˚C line in the figure, we can estimate that the steady state creep rate is about
0.15 %/1000 h at 40 MPa (remember that the axes are log-log). The steady-state creep is just
the steady state creep rate x time

ε cr =ε̇ cr × time

ε ss =( 1.5 ×10−4 % /h ) ( 5000 h )=0.75 %=0.0075

Creep elongation is ∆ l cr =l o ε cr= (750 mm ) ( 7.5× 10−3 ) =5.6 mm

Total elongation is the instantaneous/primary elongation + creep elongation

∆ l tot =∆ l inst + ∆l cr=1.5 mm+ 5.6 mm=7.1 mm

Problem 2.
Steady state creep rate data are given in the table below for nickel at 1000˚ C:

ε̇ (s-1) s (MPa)
10-4 15
10-6 4.5

The steady state strain rate is given by:

n −(Q / R T )
ε̇ ss = A σ e
(a) If it is known that the activation energy for creep is 272,000 J/mol, calculate the steady
state creep rate at a temperature of 850˚ C and a stress level of 25 MPa.

(b) For a life of 10,000 hours, by how much is the strain changed if the temperature is
deceased to 650˚ C?

Solution
The problem requires the constitutive equation combining the effects of stress level and
temperature on strain rate. This equation describes the data given in the figure of Problem 1 but
for all stresses and temperatures. The equation is
n −(Q / R T )
ε̇ ss = A σ e

We are given values for Q and T (R is the universal gas constant = 8.314 J/mol.K). We need two
equations to solve for the two unknowns, A and n. We are given ε̇ ss values at two different stress
levels and 1000˚ C so we can set up two equations to solve for the two unknowns. I find it easier
to solve the linear form so we take the natural log of both sides:

Q
ln ( ε̇ ss )=lnA + nln ( σ )−
RT
Q
ln ( 10 ) =lnA +nln ( 15 )−
−4
(1)
RT

Q
ln ( 10 )=lnA + nln ( 4.5 )−
−6
(2)
RT
Q
lnA=ln ( 10 ) −nln ( 4.5 ) +
−6
RT
Substituting equation (2) into (1)
Q
ln ( 10 ) =[ ln ( 10 )−nln ( 4.5 ) ]+ n ( ln ( 15 ) )−
−4 −6
RT
Q Q
ln ( 10 ) −ln ( 10 )=n [ ln ( 15 ) −ln ( 4.5 ) ] −
−4 −6
+
RT RT
n=3.825
272000
lnA=ln ( 10 ) −3.825 ln ( 4.5 )+
−6

( 8.314 )( 1273 )

−1
A=466 s
We can now solve for the specified stess (25 MPa) and temperature (850˚C = 1123˚K):

ε̇ ss =( 466 s ) ( 25 ) e
−1 3.825 ( (
− 272000 J /mol / 8.314
J
mol− K )
( 1123˚ K )
)
−10 −1
ε̇ ss =1.063 ×10 s

ε ss =ε̇ ss t=1.063 ×10−10 s−1 ( 3600

1 hr )
s
10000 hrs=0.0038∨0.38 %

Repeating but at 650˚C (923˚K)

ε̇ ss =( 466 s ) ( 25 )
−1 3.825 ( (
− 272000 J /mol / 8.314
e
J
mol− K )
( 923˚ K )
)
−13 −1
ε̇ ss =1.93 ×10 s

ε ss =ε̇ ss t=1.93 ×10−13 s−1 ( 3600

1 hr )
s
10000 hrs=6.95 ×10 −6
∨0.000695 %

ε ss ( 850˚ C ) 0.0038
= =547
ε ss (650 ˚C ) 6.95 × 10−6

The creep at 850˚C is 547 times larger that at 650˚C!

Problem 3.
A stress of 7 MPa is applied to a polymer operating at constant strain. After 6 months, the stress
drops to 5.8 MPa. For a specific application, a part must maintain a clamping stress of 6.2 MPa
after 1 year. What should the original applied stress be?

Solution
We can use maxwell’s equation for this. First we solve for the stress relaxation constnat, t,
using the initial data:

5.8 MPa=7 MPa exp ( −6 months

τ )
ln ( 5.87 )= −6τ
τ =32 months

We now return to the general equation and insert the data of interest:

6.2 MPa=σ o exp ( −12

32 )

σ o=9.02 MPa