Cairo University

Faculty of Engineering
Mechanical Design and Production Department
Fall 2023

Mechanical Failure
Analysis

LOGO
MDP
4540
 Creep Failure

2
❑ Lecture Outlines

❑ Creep deformation.
❑ Creep testing (creep rupture and long-term creep).
❑ Temperature-compensated time technique.
❑ Empirical creep equation (Norton-Baily creep law).
❑ Uniaxial behavior.
❑ Multi-axial behavior.
▪ Steady creep of beams under bending.
▪ Steady creep of thin wall pressurized cylinders.
▪ Steady creep of circular shafts under torsion.

❑ Stress relaxation.
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❑ Creep Deformation

❑ Creep deformation is defined as the accumulation of plastic

deformation over prolonged time period under steady or
variable loading conditions.

❑ Creep deformations are mostly observable at elevated

temperatures, which are generally related to the absolute
melting temperature from 0.3Tm to 0.5Tm K.

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❑ Creep Testing
❑ Creep testing of engineering materials is mostly done under
constant load and temperature in uniaxial testing machines.

5
❑ Creep Testing Cont’d

❑ Creep strains are permanent and generally they reach few

percent at rupture.

❑ Users of creep data feel that creep data should be obtained

by tests of at least 10,000 h or longer times. Instead, creep
data collected by testing over shorter periods of time and
limited variations of nominal stresses and temperatures are
extended to other conditions by applying extrapolation
techniques within acceptable limits of accuracy.

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❑ Creep Testing Cont’d
❑ Creep data has been limited to creep deformation within the
primary and secondary creep stages. The unstable tertiary
creep stage is often excluded.

❑ In other words, creep failure is thus related to limitations of

dimensional changes in the structure rather than rupture.

❑ This sets up creep design criteria based on reaching a

permissible creep strain value (say, 0.1%) for an intended
design life at a given stress.

❑ Typical permissible creep deformations used in design are

2% in 20,000 h for heat exchanger tubes, 0.3% in 100,000 h
for boiler and steam tubes and 0.01% for steam turbine
rotors in 100,000 h.
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❑ Creep Testing Cont’d
❑ Creep testing involving relatively short time data, say, several
hundreds of hours, are presented in the form of creep rupture
tests.

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❑ Temperature-Compensated Time Technique

❑ One of these techniques based on the temperature-

compensated time idea is due to Larson and Miller.

❑ Where T (in - K) is the absolute temperature and tR (hrs.) is the

rupture time. The empirical constant C is taken to be 20 for
most materials.

❑ Relatively short time tests are usually conducted at higher

temperatures to give a parameter covering the time of interest
at lower temperatures.

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❑ Temperature-Compensated Time Technique Cont’d

❑ This reduces the family of rupture stress against time curves for
different temperatures to a single straight line between PLM and
Ln(s).

Ln(s)

PLM
10
❑ Temperature-Compensated Time Technique Cont’d

❑ Example: Creep rupture data for a type of stainless steel is

obtained in a series of tests as:

▪ Using the Larson—Miller parameter, determine:

a. The maximum stress that could be applied to a component

made of the same steel and operating at 375°C for 15,000 h
before rupture.

b. The rupture time for a component subjected to a stress of

190 MPa at a temperature of 525°C.
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❑ Temperature-Compensated Time Technique Cont’d

❑ Soln.:

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❑ Empirical Creep Equation (Norton-Baily Creep Law)

❑ Temperature is a key variable in creep.

❑ The simplest case to investigate is uniaxial loading.

❑ The mathematical representation of the creep curve is:

ec = f (s , T , t)
❑ For constant temperature,

ec= f (s , t)

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❑ Empirical Creep Equation (Norton-Baily Creep Law)

❑ Norton-Baily law is one of the mathematical forms which exist

to represent creep.

ec= B sN tN1
❑ This equation describes the primary and secondary creep
stages only. For the secondary zone,

ec= B sN t

ec= B sN

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❑ Empirical Creep Equation (Norton-Baily Creep Law)

❑ For primary and secondary creep zones,

ec= eo + B sN t

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❑ Empirical Creep Equation (Norton-Baily Creep Law)

❑ The primary creep zone could be neglected, hence:

ec= B sN

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❑ Empirical Creep Equation (Norton-Baily Creep Law)

❑ Multiaxial creep behavior

𝜀ഥ𝑐 = 𝐵 𝜎ത 𝑁

1 2 2 2 0.5
𝜎ത = 𝜎1 − 𝜎2 + 𝜎2 − 𝜎3 + 𝜎1 − 𝜎3
2

2 2 2 2 0.5
𝜀ҧ = 𝜀1ሶ + 𝜀2ሶ + 𝜀3ሶ
3

1
𝜀1ሶ = 𝐵 𝜎ത (𝑁−1) 𝜎1 − 𝜎2 + 𝜎3
2
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❑ Multiaxial Creep Behavior

1. Steady creep of beams under bending.

2. Steady creep of thin wall pressurized cylinders.

3. Steady creep of circular shafts under torsion.

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❑ Multiaxial Creep Behavior Cont’d

1. Steady creep of beams under bending

𝑦
𝜀𝑐 = = k.𝑦
𝑅

𝜀ሶ𝑐 = 𝑘.ሶ 𝑦

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❑ Steady creep of beams under bending cont’d

1. Steady creep of beams under bending

𝑀 = න 𝜎 𝑦 𝑑𝐴
𝐴
h
𝜀𝑐ሶ = 𝐵𝜎 𝑁
1 b
𝜀𝑐ሶ 𝑁
𝜎=
𝐵

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❑ Steady creep of beams under bending cont’d

1
𝜀𝑐ሶ 𝑁
𝑀= න 𝑦 𝑑𝐴
𝐵
𝐴
ℎ
2 1
𝜀𝑐ሶ 𝑁 h
𝑀=2 න 𝑦 𝑑𝐴
𝐵
0

ℎ
b
1
2
𝑘.ሶ 𝑦 𝑁
𝑀=2 න 𝑏 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝐵
0
21
❑ Steady creep of beams under bending cont’d

ℎ 1
2
𝑘.ሶ 𝑦 𝑁
𝑀=2 න 𝑏 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝐵
0

1
2+𝑁
2𝑏𝜎 𝑁 ℎ
𝑀= 1 2𝑁 + 1 2
𝑦𝑁

1
−1
𝑀𝑦 2𝑁 + 1 2𝑦 𝑁
𝜎=
𝐼 3𝑁 ℎ
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❑ Steady creep of beams under bending cont’d

𝑑2 𝑣𝑐 1 𝜀𝑐
2
= =
𝑑𝑧 𝑅 𝑦

𝑑2 𝑣𝑐ሶ 𝜀𝑐ሶ
2
=
𝑑𝑧 𝑦
1
−1
𝑀𝑦 2𝑁 + 1 2𝑦 𝑁
𝜀𝑐ሶ = 𝐵𝜎 𝑁 , 𝜎=
𝐼 3𝑁 ℎ
1 𝑁
𝑑2 𝑣𝑐ሶ 𝐵 𝑀𝑦 2𝑁 + 1 2𝑦 𝑁−1
2
=
𝑑𝑧 𝑦 𝐼 3𝑁 ℎ
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❑ Steady creep of beams under bending cont’d

𝑁
𝑑2 𝑣𝑐ሶ 2 2𝑁 + 1 2
2
=𝐵 𝑀𝑁
𝑑𝑧 𝑏ℎ2 𝑁 ℎ

❑ By Integration, 𝑣𝑐ሶ could be obtained after applying the

suitable B.Cs.

1) Simply supported beam under mid-point load.

2) Cantilever beam under end point load.

3) Cantilever beam under uniformly distributed load.

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❑ Steady creep of beams under bending cont’d

➢ Simply supported beam under mid-point load.

❑ By Integration, 𝑣𝑐ሶ could be obtained after applying the B.Cs.

At z = 0 , 𝑣𝑐ሶ = 0. At z = L/2 , d𝑣𝑐ሶ /dz = 0

𝑣𝑐ሶ
𝑁 𝑁
2𝑁 + 1 2 2 𝑃 𝑍 𝑁+2
=𝐵 ൝
𝑁 𝑏ℎ2 ℎ 2 𝑁+1 𝑁+2
𝑁+1
𝑍 𝐿
− ൡ
𝑁+1 2

25
❑ Steady creep of beams under bending cont’d

➢ Cantilever beam under end point load.

❑ By Integration, 𝑣𝑐ሶ could be obtained after applying the B.Cs.

At z = L , 𝑣𝑐ሶ = 0 , d𝑣𝑐ሶ /dz = 0

𝑣𝑐ሶ
𝑁
2𝑁 + 1 2 2 𝑃𝑁 − 𝑍 𝑁+2
=𝐵 ቊ + 𝑍 . 𝐿 𝑁+1
𝑁 𝑏ℎ2 ℎ 𝑁+1 𝑁+2
𝑁+1
− 𝐿 𝑁+2 ቋ
𝑁+2

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❑ Steady creep of beams under bending cont’d

➢ Cantilever beam under uniformly distributed load.

❑ By Integration, 𝑣𝑐ሶ could be obtained after applying the B.Cs.

At z = L , 𝑣𝑐ሶ = 0 , d𝑣𝑐ሶ /dz = 0

𝑣𝑐ሶ
𝑁
2𝑁 + 1 2 2 𝑞 𝑁 𝑍 . 𝐿 2𝑁+1
=𝐵 ቊ
𝑁 𝑏ℎ2 ℎ 2 2𝑁 + 1
𝑍 2𝑁+2 𝐿 2𝑁+2
− − ቋ
2𝑁 + 1 2𝑁 + 2 2𝑁 + 2
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❑ Multiaxial Creep Behavior Cont’d

2. Steady creep of thin wall pressurized cylinders

❑ A closed, thin-walled pressure vessel subjected to an
internal pressure (pi) and operating at an elevated
temperature, which is sustained for a long period of time,
undergoes creep deformations.

❑ Assuming that strains are small, the stresses remain

constant throughout creep life, as given by equilibrium
conditions based on initial dimensions:

𝑃𝑖 𝑟 𝑃𝑖 𝑟
𝜎𝜃 = 𝜎𝑎 = 𝜎𝑟 ≅ 0
ℎ 2ℎ

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❑ Steady creep of thin wall pressurized cylinders cont’d

1 2 2 2 0.5
𝜎ത = 𝜎1 − 𝜎2 + 𝜎2 − 𝜎3 + 𝜎1 − 𝜎3
2

𝜎1 = 𝜎𝜃 , 𝜎2 = 𝜎𝑎 , 𝜎3 = 0
3
𝜎ത = 𝜎1
2

2 0.5
𝜀ഥ𝑐ሶ = 𝜀1ሶ 2 + 𝜀2ሶ 2 + 𝜀3ሶ 2
3

𝜺ሶ 𝜽 = 𝜺ሶ 𝟏 , 𝜺ሶ 𝒂 = 𝜺ሶ 𝟐 , 𝜺ሶ 𝒓 = 𝜺ሶ 𝟑
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❑ Steady creep of thin wall pressurized cylinders cont’d

𝟏
𝜺ሶ 𝟏 = 𝑩 𝝈 ഥ (𝑵−𝟏) 𝝈𝟏 − 𝝈𝟐 + 𝝈𝟑
𝟐
𝜺ሶ 𝜽 = − 𝜺ሶ 𝒓 , 𝜺ሶ 𝒂 = 𝟎
𝟐
𝜺ഥ𝒄ሶ = 𝜺ሶ 𝜽
𝟑

𝟑
𝜺ഥ𝒄ሶ = 𝑩 ഥ𝑵
𝝈 , ഥ=
𝝈 𝝈𝟏
𝟐

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❑ Steady creep of thin wall pressurized cylinders cont’d

❑ Example: For an alloy steel, the following data are obtained from
creep tests at 550 oC:

a. Determine the constants of creep law.

b. Boiler closed tube of 60 mm diameter and 1.5 mm thickness,

made of the same alloy as in (a) operating 550°C are
designed such that the diametral creep expansion does not
exceed 0.5% in 100,000 hr. Estimate the maximum allowable
internal pressure which could be applied.

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❑ Steady creep of thin wall pressurized cylinders cont’d

❑ Soln.:

B = 1.81 x 10-24 , N = 9.07

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❑ Steady creep of thin wall spherical pressure vessel

𝑃𝑖 𝑟 𝑃𝑖 𝑟
𝜎𝜃 = 𝜎𝑎 = 𝜎𝑟 ≅ 0
2ℎ 2ℎ

1 2 2 2 0.5
𝜎ത = 𝜎1 − 𝜎2 + 𝜎2 − 𝜎3 + 𝜎1 − 𝜎3
2

𝜎1 = 𝜎2 = 𝜎𝜃 = 𝜎𝑎 , 𝜎3 = 0

𝜎ത = 𝜎1

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❑ Steady creep of thin wall spherical pressure vessel cont’d

2 2 2 2 0.5
𝜀ഥ𝑐ሶ = 𝜀1ሶ + 𝜀2ሶ + 𝜀3ሶ
3

𝜀ሶ 𝜃 = 𝜀ሶ 𝑎 = 𝜀ሶ 1 = 𝜀ሶ 2 , 𝜀ሶ 𝑟 = 𝜀ሶ 3

1
𝜀1ሶ = 𝐵 𝜎ത (𝑁−1) 𝜎1 − 𝜎2 + 𝜎3
2
𝜀ሶ 𝑟 = −2 𝜀ሶ 𝜃

𝜀ഥሶ 𝑐 = 2 𝜀ሶ 𝜃
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❑ Steady creep of thin wall spherical pressure vessel cont’d

𝜀ഥ𝑐ሶ = 𝐵 𝜎ത 𝑁

𝑵
𝑩 𝑷𝒊 𝒓
𝜺ሶ 𝜽𝒄 =
𝟐 𝟐𝒉

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❑ Steady creep of thin wall spherical pressure vessel cont’d

❑ Example: A spherical pressure vessel of 700 mm diameter

and 8 mm thickness is made of stainless steel of the following
properties at operating temperature of 450 oC: sy = 390 MPa,
E = 131.2 GPa, n = 0.25, N = 6.8 and B = 2.47 x 10-22 (units in
MPa - hrs). If the vessel in designed to operate at a service
pressure of 6.92 MPa, determine:

a. The life for a diametral deformation of 0.4%.

36
❑ Steady creep of thin wall spherical pressure vessel cont’d

❑ Solution:

𝑵
𝑩 𝑷𝒊 𝒓
𝜺𝜽𝒄 = 𝒕
𝟐 𝟐𝒉

Then, time (t ) could be calculated in (hrs).

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❑ Stress Relaxation

38
❑ Stress Relaxation Cont’d

P
Di dbolt

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❑ Stress Relaxation Cont’d

𝜎𝑜 = 𝐸 𝜀𝑜 , at t=0 𝜀𝑜 = 𝜀𝑒 = Const.

𝐴𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡 𝜀𝑜 = 𝜀𝑒 +𝜀𝑐

𝑑𝜀𝑒 𝑑𝜀𝑐
0 = +
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

1 𝑑𝜎 𝑁 1 𝑑𝜎
- = 𝐵𝜎 - =𝑑𝑡
𝐸 𝑑𝑡 𝐸 𝐵 𝜎𝑁

1 𝜎𝑡 𝑑𝜎 𝑡
-
𝐸𝐵
‫𝜎׬‬ 𝜎𝑁
= ‫׬‬0 𝑑𝑡
𝑜
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❑ Stress Relaxation Cont’d

1 1 1
t= (𝑁−1) −
𝐸 𝐵(𝑁−1) 𝜎𝑡 𝜎𝑜 (𝑁−1)

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❑ Stress Relaxation Cont’d

❑ Example: A flanged cover plate for a pipe connection of area

0.15 m2 is held by 16 equally-spaced steel bolts of 20 mm
diameter. Assuming that the flanges are rigid, what should be
the initial tightening stress and strain in the bolts in order that
the connection remains tight (with a margin of safety of 1.5)
after 1.6 year? The operating conditions are: temperature 450
oC and pressure 0.6 MPa.

- After what time should the bolts be retightened to prevent

leakage? Take E = 170 GPa, B = 45 x 10-16 and N = 4.1 (units
in MPa – hrs.).
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