In situ 3D quantification of the evolution of creep cavity size, shape, and spatial orientation using synchrotron X-ray tomography

Creep lifetime of metallic materials is of high significance for the efficiency and safety, e.g. of electricity-generating power plants and in particular steam and gas turbines. Synchrotron radiation microtomography provides new possibilities for a non-destructive determination of creep damage evolution in the bulk of samples. Cavity volume, shape and orientation evolution are determined here using synchrotron radiation 3D tomograms obtained in situ during creep experiments. The results of the experiments enable a quantitative description of the time dependence of cavity morphology and size distributions. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.