Factors Affecting Choice of Working Stresses for High-Temperature Service

This paper discusses the various methods which have been proposed to determine safe working stresses for high-temperature service. The question of the stability of alloys during the test and in subsequent service is considered, with particular emphasis upon probable changes in creep characteristics during long exposure to stress and temperature. It is shown that published data in general do not admit of extrapolation, and that attempts to estimate total creep in service from such data are not usually satisfactory. The author stresses the need for more fundamental study of the laws governing creep rather than creep tests of many different materials.