This data may be used to develop advanced materials fit for purpose, develop operating limits for existing materials in new environments, predict how joining techniques will perform under real-life conditions (i.e. welds), estimate service life, develop maintenance schedules and reduce the risk of catastrophic failures of turbine blades, steam pipes and other equipment under high-temperature and stress conditions.

Lucideon has 22 creep / stress rupture test stands available, that are able to test specimens up to 10-1/8" in length ranging from carbon steel alloys and stainless steels, to Inconel alloys. Tests may be conducted up to 1650°F in temperature and 10,000 lbs in load. Temperature and creep readings are recorded and monitored continuously to ensure accuracy of results.

Creep testing (creep-rupture, stress-rupture, stress-relaxation) is conducted to determine the deformation (creep) of a material when subjected to a prolonged load at a constant temperature.

• A creep test has the objective of measuring creep and creep rates occurring at stresses usually well below those which would result in fracture.
• In a creep-rupture test, progressive specimen deformation and the time to rupture are measured. In general, deformation during this test is much larger than that developed during a creep test.
• A stress-rupture test is a test in which time to rupture is measured.
• The stress-relaxation test is similar to the creep test, except the load continually decreases instead of remaining constant. The load is reduced at intervals to maintain a constant strain. This is often used to determine torqueing schedules for bolted assemblies.

ASTM Test Methods

• ASTM D2990 Compressive Creep and Creep-Rupture of Plastics
• ASTM E139 Creep, Creep-Rupture & Stress Rupture Tests of Metallic Materials
• ASTM E292 Conducting Time-for-Rupture Notch Tension Tests of Materials
• ASTM E328 Stress Relaxation for Materials and Structures.