Fundamental Modelling of Mechanisms Contributing to Tertiary Creep in Copper at 215 and 250°C

Extensive creep tests have been performed on oxygen free copper with 50 ppm phosphorus at both low and high temperatures. It is the candidate material for storage of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden. Basic models without fitting parameters have been formulated to reproduce primary and secondary creep. For a long time, only empirical models existed for fitting of tertiary creep. To understand the role of creep damage, including recovery, cavitation and necking, basic models that do not involve adjustable parameters are in urgent demand. Only recently, basic models taking the relevant mechanisms into account have been developed. These models were used to predict the tertiary creep for copper at 75°C. The modelled results were compared with experimental creep curves and good agreement has been found. In the present paper, the models are applied to creep tests at higher temperatures (215 and 250°C). A similar representation with good accuracy is obtained. This demonstrates that the fundamental model for back stress is applicable for the higher temperature tests as well.