NEW METHOD FOR LIFE ASSESSMENT OF 1%Cr-0.5%Mo LOW ALLOY STEEL ON THE BASE OF GRAIN BOUNDARY CREEP CAVITATION

Life assessment on the base of grain boundary creep cavitation of 1%Cr – o.5%Mo low alloy steel has been discussed in this paper. Since microstructural degradation is one of the most important mechanisms that affects creep life, it is necessary to assess microstructural damage in order to estimate the life. Microstructural damage within the grain boundaries is a continuous phenomena starting from about the beginning of secondary stage of creep process. In this research, the amounts of damage accumulation in the form of grain boundary cavitations for various creep times up to the ends of secondary creep stage for each creep condition was found by using quantitative metallography technique, i.e. image analyser. Then from the data obtained for grain boundary area cavitated and number of cavities per unit area, which was about linear as a function of time for each of creep conditions, the amount of damage in the tertiary stage was estimated for various times. Then a creep damage parameter was proposed for the creep process. Finally, having this damage parameter (?) and using continuum damage mechanics (CDM), a new version of Rabotnov-Kachanov equation for tertiary creep rate was established.