The Strain-Dependence of Density Changes during Creep

Abstract

Density measurements have been carried out after creep of a nickel-0.1 at.-% palladium alloy and Magnox AL80. The continuous decrease in density that occurs during the creep life was found to be linearly related to the strain throughout the later stages of creep. With the nickel alloy this linear relationship applied to all strains after the end of primary creep, but with Magnox AL80 linearity was not observed until later in the creep life. The variation in this initial period is shown to account for differences in the time-dependence of cavity growth observed with these materials.