A Study on Estimation of Internal Pressure Creep Life Using Small Punch Creep (SPC) Tests for Boiler Pipes

The small punch creep (SPC) test is possible to predict residual creep life at a high accuracy. But, the results of SPC tests cannot be compared with uniaxial creep or internal pressure creep results directly. In this report, the relationship between SPC test results and uniaxial creep test results in ASME A335 P11 (1.25Cr-0.5Mo Steel) was studied. The obtained relationship between SPC load and equivalent uniaxial creep stress formed a simple linear equation under the wide range of test temperature and test period. Then, the SPC results can be compared with uniaxial results by converting SPC loads to the equivalent uniaxial creep stresses. The relationship between SPC test results and internal pressure creep tests results was also studied. The internal creep life of as-received P11 pipe was almost same as SPC result when the hoop stress was converted to the SPC load. The creep lives of internal pressure creep influenced materials also showed good correspondence with SPC results. Therefore SPC can estimate the residual life of internal pressure creep influenced materials.