Shear creep testing of copper single crystals

The work tests an application of a single-shear creep technique of double-notch specimens of Dupeux and Rouault-Rogez (in Strength of Materials., edited by H. Oikawa et al., The Japan Inst. of Metals, 1994, pp. 681–685) to copper single crystals. Direct measurement of the specimen dimensions, finite element computation and surface metallography confirm that the strain is strongly localized in the sheared zone and the shear strain is pronounced. A creep test of a double-notch specimen is compared with a usual compression creep test. Observation of the structure identifies slip lines of compact and of non-compact slip planes and a complicated dislocation structure with a high dislocation density.