Contents


Preface

This book contains chapters with original and innovative research studies in the issues related to the broadly defined creep effect, which concerns not only the area of construction materials but also natural phenomena. In classical terms, creep is defined as a process that takes place under constant load, which ensures that stresses are usually within the Hooke's law range, and at elevated temperature. The loads applied to products working under creep conditions cause stresses and strains whose values may change over time, not only as a result of overloads occurring during service, but mainly at the time when loading remains unchanged and result

In the creep of materials, both plastic and reversible strain occurs. As a result of the process, their shapes and dimensions change constantly during service. After the elapse of sufficient time of working under creep conditions, the components are degraded and their further service is prevented. The degradation processes start at the moment when the rate of strain changes from its minimum and proportional

The development of materials for operation under creep conditions and the related manufacture of products with improved performance are a result of the dynamic worldwide demand for new technologies, and recently also those related to environmental protection. The result of the above-mentioned conditions is the extensive investigations of the properties of new materials carried out by scientists and researchers all over the world. This mainly concerns the components working under the so-called creep conditions, which are characterised by a slow change in the shape of material due to the operation of mainly prolonged permanent stresses,

The aim of next book from the series is to provide readers, students and PhD students, as well as research personnel and professional engineers involved in the operation of devices with comprehensive information on their changes in performance during work. Additionally, collection in one place of not only studies the phenomenon of creep but also the practical application of the discussed methods on specific examples and technological solutions. The chapters of this book will be developed by renowned and respected researchers and specialists from around the world.

> **Tomasz Tański and Marek Sroka** Silesian University of Technology,

Institute for Ferrous Metallurgy,

Poland

Poland

**Adam Zieliński**

in stresses lower than the yield strength.

values to disproportional ones as it is increasing.

which are lower than the elastic limit of material.
