Calculation of Stress Relaxation Properties for 1CrMoV Bolt Material

Abstract

Analytical life prediction methods have been developed for high temperature turbine and valve bolts. For 1CrMoV steel bolt material, long time creep-rupture and stress relaxation tests were performed at 450°C, 500°C, and 550°C by the National Research Institute for Metals of Japan. Based on analysis of their data, the isothermal creep behavior can be described using a power law: ε=Kσn(t)m+1 where ε is the creep strain, t is the time, σ is the stress, K, n, and m are material constants. The time power is a primarily a function of temperature, but also depends slightly on stress. To obtain the value for the time power typical of low stress, the creep equation constants were found in two steps. The time power was found using the lower stress data and a heat-centered type regression approach with the stress levels taking the place of the heats in the analysis. The heat constants were then calculated at all stress levels and regression performed to obtain the stress dependence. For comparison with the measured uniaxial stress relaxation properties, the relaxed stress as a function of time was calculated using the power law creep equation and a strain hardening flow rule. The calculated stress versus time curves were in good agreement with the measured at initial strain levels of 0.10%, 0.15%, and 0.20% for all temperatures except 500°C. At 500°C, good agreement was found using the creep properties typical of a stronger (within heat variation) material.