Predicting creep residual life for aluminum alloy 2A12 by using indentation creep test with flat cylindrical indenters

A method of predicting residual life for creep damage specimens of Aluminum alloy 2A12 is proposed by using creep indentation tests with flat cylindrical indenters. There are four steps included in the method. First, specimens with different creep damages were obtained by tensile creep tests (by control testing time). Second, for the above damage specimens, indentation creep tests were performed to get different steady-state indentation creep depth rates. Third, based on the Kachanov damage theory, damage values of the damage specimens were obtained by calculations. In the end the curve of steady-state creep rates vs damage values was achieved. The "residual life method" provides the relationship between the creep damage values and the residual life, and by using it the residual life can be determined. The method can be extended to use in monitoring the residual life for high temperature components in service.