Acquisition of long-term creep data and knowledge for new applications

This paper introduces the activities being conducted by the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) to acquire long-term creep-test data on heat-resistant steels and alloys, as well as some study results on the creep strength of heat-resistant steels and alloys, obtained through the NIMS Creep Data Sheet project. The results emphasize the importance of data acquisition in conducting long-term creep tests and the need for a comprehensive understanding of changes in metallurgical microstructure, creep deformation, damage formation and growth, and creep rupture life, and the relationships among these factors. The importance of establishing international cooperation in data and information sharing, in order to prepare for the globalization of society, is stressed. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.