Creep and rupture in Type 316 stainless steel at temperatures between 525 and 900°C Part I: Creep rate

The creep behaviour of a Type 316 stainless steel has been examined at temperatures of 525 to 900°C using a range of stresses producing failure in 1-104 h. The influence of the loading strain in determining the intragranular carbide density and the subsequent creep rate is indicated. Creep behaviour over most of the range of conditions examined is consistent with the model involving the movement of activated dislocation links through the dislocation network. At high temperatures and low stresses a different mechanism applies, which may be a grain boundary sliding or a diffusion mechanism. At very low temperatures dislocation-solute interactions appear to become important and the creep rate is much reduced.