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EPSRC Reference: GR/M93123/01
Title: DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A NON-EMPIRICAL MODEL FOR CREEP LIFE PREDICTION OF COMMERCIAL ALLOY SYSTEMS
Principal Investigator: McLean, Dr M
Other Investigators:
Shollock, Professor B
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Aerospatiale Alstom Group National Power
Department: Materials
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 1999 Ends: 30 September 2002 Value (£): 248,128
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine Manufacturing
Chemicals Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The aim is to develop a generic approach to predictive modelling of creep of engineering alloys that starts with a physics - based description of the initial creep rate of particle strengthened materials in which the model parameters are constrained quantitatively from fundamental analysis of the deformation mechanism. The effects of various degradation mechanisms (e.g. cavitation/cracking, particle/subgrain coarsening, phase transformation, dislocation accumulation) on creep deformation are superimposed on this fundamental mechanism using the formalism of Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM). The approach will be assessed on three representative engineering alloys that are known to suffer from quite different modes of creep strength degradation: an aluminium aerospace alloy (grain boundary decohesion in tension), a high chromium steam turbine steel (carbide and subgrain coarsening, Laves phase precipitation) and a single crystal nickel-base superalloy (dislocation softening and particle coarsening). The work will seek to demonstrate that, although the uniaxial creep curves are similar in shape, it is important to represent the appropriate degradation mechanisms in order to effectively extrapolate not only to longer lives but, more importantly, to complex loading. The project will examine the ability of the models to account for time-variable uniaxial loading and to simple steady multiaxial loading (through Bridgman notch creep testing).
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Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk