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IJSI
8,6 Engineering models for softening
and relaxation of Gr. 91 steel in
creep-fatigue conditions
670 Stefan Holmström and Frits De Haan
European Commission DG-JRC, Petten, The Netherlands
Received 10 February 2017
Revised 7 June 2017 Ulrich Führer
Accepted 7 June 2017
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
Rami Pohja
Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd (VTT), Espoo, Finland, and
Jaromir Janousek
Research Centre Rez, Husinec-Rež, Czech Republic

Abstract
Purpose – There are a number of different approaches for calculating creep-fatigue (CF) damage for design,
such as the French nuclear code RCC-MRx, the American ASME III NH and the British R5 assessment code.
To acquire estimates for the CF damage, that are not overly conservative, both the cyclic material softening/
hardening and the potential changes in relaxation behavior have to be considered. The data presented here
and models are an initial glimpse of the ongoing European FP7 project MATISSE effort to model the
softening and relaxation behavior of Grade 91 steel under CF loading. The resulting models are used for
calculating the relaxed stress at arbitrary location in the material cyclic softening curve. The initial test
results show that softening of the material is not always detrimental. The initial model development and the
pre-assessment of the MATISSE data show that the relaxed stress can be robustly predicted with hold time,
strain range and the cyclic life fraction as the main input parameters. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach – Engineering models have been developed for predicting cyclic softening
and relaxation for Gr. 91 steel at 550 and 600°C.
Findings – A simple engineering model can adequately predict the low cycle fatigue (LCF) and CF softening
rates of Gr. 91 steel. Also a simple relaxation model was successfully defined for predicting relaxed stress of
both virgin and cyclically softened material.
Research limitations/implications – The data are not yet complete and the models will be updated when
the complete set of data in the MATISSE project is available.
Practical implications – The models described can be used for predicting P91 material softening in an
arbitrary location (n/Nf0) of the LCF and CF cyclic life. Also the relaxed stress in the softened material can
be estimated.
Originality/value – The models are simple in nature but are able to estimate both material softening and
relaxation in arbitrary location of the softening curve. This is the first time the Wilshire methodology has
been applied on cyclic relaxation data.
Keywords Relaxation, Creep-fatigue, Cyclic softening, Gr. 91 steel
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
The design of the European GEN-IV reactors, i.e. ASTRID (sodium fast reactor) and
MYRRHA (lead-cooled fast reactor) will rely on the French design RCC-MRx Code (2012).
The operating temperatures for some of the components will be within the lower region of

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the creep regime or just below negligible creep temperatures resulting in potential creep and Softening and
creep-fatigue (CF) damage accumulation. In the MATISSE project, the assessment and relaxation of
modeling methodologies for determining softening, relaxation and CF damage are Gr. 91 steel
developed for the cyclically softening P91 ferritic/martensitic steel. The interaction diagram
methodology based on different approaches for creep damage in RCC-MRx, ASME III NH
(ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, 2008) and R5 (2003) exhibits different challenges
for the assessment of CF data. The P91 steel is still considered a key material for some of the 671
future GEN-IV concept even though it has been replaced in ASTRD by other materials such
as Alloy 800 and 316L and 316L(N) due to the challenges caused by the material softening.
Thus, the P91 steel has for the time being been moved to the probationary phase rules in the
RCC-MRx code.
In this paper, low cycle fatigue (LCF), CF and creep relaxation data of the ongoing
European FP7 project MATISSE are assessed together with earlier data from the MATTER
project (Pohja, Holmström, Nilsson, Payten, Lee and Aktaa, 2014; Pohja et al., 2016;
Holmström, Pohja and Payten, 2014). Some MATISSE results by KIT have recently been
published in Führer and Aktaa (2016).
Both an engineering softening model and a relaxation model are constructed based on
the currently available data. The impact of hold time, strain range, temperature and cyclic
life fraction on softening and relaxation behavior is studied and compared with literature
(Fournier et al., 2008, 2009; Asayama and Tachibana, 2007; Takahashi, 2012).

Materials and methods

Materials
In the MATISSE project, two heats of Grade 91 steels are being tested. These steels were
also tested in the previous FP7 project MATTER. The chemical compositions are given
in Table I.
The thicker P91 heat (MATTER-I) is a 60 mm thick plate from ArcelorMittal. This heat is
tested in “as received” condition, i.e. austenitization at 1,060°C for 4 h, quenching and
tempered at 760°C for 3 h and 20 min. All JRC and REZ tests have been conducted on this
material heat. The thinner 30 mm thick P91 sheet (MATTER-II) has undergone a heat
treatment consisting of austenitization at 1,050°C during 30 min, quenched and tempered at
780°C during 1 h. All tests by KIT and VTT have been conducted with this material heat.
The 30 mm plate virgin material has a somewhat higher strength than the 60 mm plate at
550°C as can be deducted from Figure 1. The figure also shows that both P91 steel heats are

Element MATTER-I MATTER-II

C 0.12 0.086
Cr 8.32 8.91
Mo 1.02 0.917
V 0.235 0.198
Nb 0.084 0.08
Mn 0.41 0.365
Si 0.24 0.324
N 0.041 0.041
Al 0.006 0.018
Ni 0.1 0.149 Table I.
P 0.009 0.017 Chemical composition
S 0.001 0.001 wt % of the studied
Source: Pohja et al. (2016) MATTER P91 heats
IJSI 450

8,6
400

Peak stress 0 (MPa)

350

672
300
JRC-60 mm-550°C

VTT-30 mm-550°C
250
KIT-30 mm-550°C

Tensile-60 mm-550°C
Figure 1. 200
The LCF stress-strain 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
response measured
 /2 (%)
during the first one-
fourth cycle (virgin) at Notes: It is to be noted that the strain rate is 0.167%/min for the
specified strain in KIT LCF tests (30 mm plate), 6%/min for both the JRC (60 mm
comparison to the plate) (de Haan, 2014a) and the VTT LCF tests (30 mm plate) (Pohja,
tensile test curve of
the thicker material Nurmela and Moilanen, 2014). The strain rate is 0.3%/min for the
tensile tests (de Haan, 2014b)

strain rate sensitive. The corresponding small differences in yield strength and strain
hardening of the materials will affect the peak stresses at the specified test strain ranges and
therefore also the relaxed stresses.

Testing
In MATISSE, several test types are included in the test program with the main objective of
determining the softening response of P91 as a result of combined creep and fatigue.
The LCF and CF test program of MATISSE is given in Table II. The standard LCF tests
in strain control, shown in Figure 2, are used as base for studying the material softening
behavior. Creep relaxation periods, i.e. hold times (th) applied at the specified strain
maximums, tension, compression or both. Both tests with hold times in every cycle (CF, as
shown in Figure 3) and tests with combined LCF cycling and holds in specific locations of
the softening are studied. Applying long hold times up to 72 h, in selected LCF cycles allows
for studying long-term relaxation behavior of softened material. It would not be possible to
reach the same level of softening in reasonable testing times if the same hold time would be
applied in every cycle.

Test type Total strain Hold time

Organization/Lab (plate) range Temperature (min and h) Hold position

KIT (Führer and LCF/CF 0.6%, 0.8%, 1%, 550°C 0, 1 min, 10 min, Tension,
Table II. Aktaa, 2016) (30 mm) 1.2%, 1.5% 1 h, and 3 h compression, both
Test laboratory- VTT LCF/CF 0.5%, 0.7%, 0.9% 600°C intermediate 24 Tension
specific tests types (30 mm) and 72 h holds
and strain ranges JRC LCF/CF/CFm 0.5%, 0.7% 550, 600°C intermediate 72 h Tension
for determining (60 mm) holds
cyclic softening REZ CF (60 mm) 0.9%, 0.7%, 0.5% 600°C 1 and 12 h holds Tension
Test results and model fitting Softening and
LCF and CF tests at 550°C relaxation of
Isothermal LCF tests as well as CF tests were performed on specimen from the 30 mm plate Gr. 91 steel
(MATTER-II) at 550°C with strain amplitudes ranging from ±0.3 to ±0.75 percent.
The strain rate applied was 10−3/sec (0.167%/min). The characterization of the influence of
hold time on cyclic softening was the main objective of this test series. The experimental
results have been previously published and discussed in (Führer and Aktaa, 2016) and the 673
main observations used for model development are summarized below.
In Figure 4, the peak stresses of a LCF test are compared to CF tests with a hold time.
The hold times are of equal duration and performed in tension, compression and in both
tension and compression. First, although softening behavior varies between different
heats of P91, it is repeatable for samples of the same heat as shown by identical peak
stresses for repeated LCF tests. Second, tensile peak stresses are reduced due to tensile
hold time whereas compressive peak stresses are reduced due to compressive hold time.
Combined hold times under tension and compression lead to lower stresses under tension
as well as compression, notably further reducing the stress range compared to single sided
hold times.
The influence of hold time duration on the softening rate is shown in Figure 5. For hold
times up to 1 h, a longer hold time will cause a lower peak stresses. For hold times longer
than 1 h, there is no additional decrease of peak stresses. Interestingly, increasing the hold
time from 1 to 3 h significantly reduced number of cycles to failure (Nf ) by almost a factor
of 2, whereas tensile hold times up to 1 h only slightly decreased cyclic life.
The impact of hold times on softening was investigated at different strain amplitudes.
As seen in Figure 6, the softening is significantly more pronounced at smaller
strain amplitudes.
Lastly, in Figure 7, the peak stresses and relaxed stresses for CF tests with a
±0.75 percent strain amplitude and a hold time of th ¼ 1 h are presented. It is shown that

(a) (b) (c)

  

t t  Figure 2.
The strain controlled
low cycle fatigue
(LCF) test with
R ¼ −1
Notes: (a) Strain-time plot; (b) stress-time plot; (c) stress-strain plot

(a) (b) (c)

Constant Softening Relaxation
   Eq. strain
p –r Relaxation c = E·(p – r )

th
t t 
Figure 3.
The strain controlled
p(n) decreases creep-fatigue (CF)
r /p(n) decreases test with R ¼ −1,
hold in tension
Notes: (a) Strain-time plot; (b) stress-time plot; (c) stress-strain plot
IJSI 400
P91, 550°C No hold time 10 min hold time
8,6 350
–3
±0.75%, 10 /sec Test 1
Test 2
Tension
Compression

stress (MPa)
Tensile peak
Tens. + Comp.

300

250
674
0
Compressive peak

–250
stress (MPa)

Figure 4. –300
Influence of hold time
position on cyclic
softening for –350
±0.75 percent strain
amplitude and hold –400
time of th ¼ 10 min 0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Cycle (–)

(a) (b)
400
P91, hold time tension Hold time duration 1
550°C, ±0.75%, 10–3/sec No hold
P91, 550°C Tens, hold time
1 Min 1h ±0.75%, 10–3/sec No hold
10 Min 3h 1 Minute
350
Normalized peak stress p∧ / p0

10 Minutes
0.9 1 Hour
Tensile peak stress (MPa)

3 Hour

300
0.8

250 0.7

200 0.6

150 0.5
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

Figure 5. Cycle (–) Normalized LCF life N/Nf 0

CF softening in Notes: (a) Softening curves for total strain range Δ=1.5% for LCF and CF tests (R = –1) with hold
comparison
LCF softening in tension for th =1 min, 10 min, 1 h and 3 h (Führer and Aktaa, 2016); (b) normalized softening
curves

cyclic softening not only affects peak stresses but also the amount of stress relaxation.
The relaxed stress seems to drop to a nearly constant amount of relaxation after about
20 percent of the cyclic life. In absolute values, the relaxed stresses for tensile and
compressive hold times are similar. On the other hand, combined hold times under tension
and compression show a larger amount of stress relaxation than single sided hold times of
same duration.
Based on these experimental observations, an engineering model for prediction of peak
stresses and relaxation was developed.

CF tests with long relaxation periods

The current JRC data on virgin material relaxations for 0.25 and 0.35 percent strain at
550 and 600°C, with a maximum hold time of 39 days for one of the 550°C tests, are
 400 Softening and
P91 Hold time Strain amplitude
550°C, 10–3/sec No hold ±0.75% relaxation of
1min tension ±0.5%
±0.3%
Gr. 91 steel
350
Tensile peak stress (MPa)

675
300

250
Figure 6.
LCF and CF test
softening curves for
tests at Δε ¼ 0.6-1.5
200 with a hold time of
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 th ¼ 1 min
Cycle (–)

400
P91, 550°C Stress 1 h hold time
350 ±0.75%, 10–3/sec Peak Tension
relaxed stress (MPa)

Relaxed Compression
300
Tensile peak/

Tens. + Comp.
250
200
150
100
0
Compressive peak/relaxed

–100
–150
stress (MPa)

–200
–250 Figure 7.
Peak stresses and
–300
relaxed stresses for
–350 ±0.75 percent strain
–400 amplitude and hold
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 time of th ¼ 1 h
Cycle (–)

shown in Figure 8. A relaxation curve at the end of cyclic life is compared to a virgin
material curve in Figure 9.
For the relaxation modeling, a simplified data set is constructed from the raw data by
extracting the relaxed stress at 0.01, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 12, 24 and 72 h of relaxation.

Modeling
In the model equations, the unit of stress is MPa, for time hours, stain in mm/mm and the
cycles are naturally counted in whole numbers.

Models for LCF and CF softening

It can be shown that the softening rate of LCF tests as a function of normalized cycles is well
presented by the following equation. The chosen softening (decay) function is inspired from
IJSI 300

8,6 250 0.35%-550°C

0.35%-600°C
200
0.25%-600°C

Stress (MPa)
150
676
Figure 8. 100
Relaxation curves for
72 h hold times for 50
virgin material tested
at 0.25 and 0.35
percent tensile strain 0
at 600 and 550°C 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1,000
Time (h)

300
0.35%-virgin
250
0.35%, n /Nf = 0.80%

200
Stress (MPa)

Figure 9. 150
Relaxation curves for
softened material
100
Δε/2 ¼ 0.35 percent,
550°C with tensile
hold in virgin state 50
and in end of cyclic
life (n/Nf ¼ 80 percent)
in comparison to 0
virgin material 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Time (h)

the Manson-Halford equation for CF cyclic life (Manson, 1968):

spnLCF A2
¼ A1 þ
(1)
sp0 A3 þ N=N f 0

The cyclic peak stress (MPa) at cycle n is then simply σpn−LCF ¼ f (n/Nf )·σp0(Δε, T ), where σp0
is the virgin material peak stress (one-fourth cycle) at the specified strain and temperature.
The parameter A1 is describing the lower bound of softening and the parameters A2 and A3
influence the rate of softening. The function is optimized in the n/Nf 0 range 0-80 percent,
where n is the cycle number and Nf 0 is the number of cycles to failure in a LCF test at the
specified strain and temperature. The initial parameter values, acquired for the softening
model using data for both the MATTER materials, are given in Table III and the fit to the
measured LCF softening curves is shown in Figure 10.
It can also be shown that when hold times (th) are introduced, the softening rate is
increased. The effect of hold time is intuitively (at least partly) explained by an increased
plastic strain range caused by the relaxing stress where elastic strain is converted
into plastic strain.
 In the case of CF tests with hold times, the softening rate can be corrected by introducing Softening and
two correction factors as given in Equation (2) where P1 ¼ f (th) and P2 ¼ f (Δε). The chosen relaxation of
functions for the th and Δε dependence are given in Equations (3) and (4). The corresponding Gr. 91 steel
initial fitting parameters are given in Table IV.
The final form of the correction factors P1 and P2 still need to be further optimized with
a wider range of strains and hold times expected to be available at the end of the
MATISSE project: 677
spn spnLCF
¼ P 1 UP 2 (2)
sp0 sp0

P 1 ðt h Þ ¼ B1 þ B2 U log ðt h Þ (3)

1
P 2 ðDeÞ ¼ C 1 þC 2 U (4)
De
With these equations in placed the hold time and strain range dependent peak stress in an
arbitrary location of the softening curve (0-80 percent) can now be predicted as σpn ¼ f(Δε)·f
(th)·f(N/Nf )·σp0.

Parameters LCF softening (Equation (1))

Table III.
A1 0.70170 Initial fitting values
A2 0.01276 for the LCF softening
A3 0.04441 model (Equation (1))

(a) (b)
450
s/s0
1 600°C-0.9
600°C-1.2 400
Normalized stress (pn/p0)

550°C-1.2
Measured stress (MPa)

0.9 550°C-0.9 y = 0.9785 x+9.7388

550°C-0.7
350 R 2 = 0.9793 600°C
550°C-0.7 550°C
0.8 550°C-0.5
300 Unity
600°C-0.5
Linear (600°C)
0.7 Linear (550°C)
250 y =1.0125 x–7.4385
R 2 = 0.9846
0.6 200
Figure 10.
0.5 150 Softening curve for
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 LCF tested material
Normalized LCF life (n /Nf 0) Predicted stress (MPa) and predicted peak
Notes: (a) Model (blue line) for LCF softened material at 550 and 600°C; (b) predicted vs stresses at specified
cyclic life ratio
measured peak stresses at specified n /Nf

Table IV.
Parameters Initial fitting values
for the CF softening
CF softening th correction (Equation (3)) B1 ¼ 0.94 B2 ¼ −0.02 model (Equations (3)
CF softening Δε correction (Equation (4)) C1 ¼ 1.025 C2 ¼ −0.067 and (4))
IJSI To test the model on data that have not been a part of the fitting data set the model was
8,6 applied on two additional tests. The predicted vs measured peak stress at the beginning and
in the middle of the cyclic life is shown in Figure 1(a) for the KIT test with a hold time of
3 h and cycled at a total strain range of 1.5 percent. Note that the data are presented as a
function of normalized (LCF) cyclic endurance. In Figure 11(b), the initial 70 cycles of a REZ
test with a hold time of 1 h cycled at a total strain range of 0.5 percent are presented as a
678 function of cycles. The model prediction for the high strain range test seems to be good
throughout the softening curve. For the low strain range test, the measured softening rate is
faster than the predicted one, especially in the initial cycles. However, even for this test the
predicted rate of softening (slope) seems to match.

Model for relaxation

The relaxation curve from an arbitrary location in the softening curve can be fitted to a
Wilshire model (WE) (Wilshire et al., 2009) modified for use with relaxation data. The model
was chosen since it has been applied successfully in a European Creep Collaborative
Committee round-robin on long-term (static) relaxation modeling (Holmström, Pohja,
Auerkari, Friedmann, Klenk, Leibing, Buhl, Spindler, and Riva, 2014). The WE stress-time
behavior during the hold period is given in the following equation:
   u 
srn Q
¼ exp k t rel Uexp (5)
sref RUT
where trel is the relaxed time (h), u and k are fitting factors and Q is the activation energy
( J/mol) optimized on the relaxation data and R is the gas constant (8.314 J/molK).
The normalizing reference stress σref (MPa) is based on the ultimate tensile strength Rm at
temperature T (Kelvin). The σref (Δε, th) ¼ Rm (T ) for the virgin material and no hold time
and a strain range of 0.7 percent. The reference stress is corrected as given in the following
equation for both virgin and cyclically softened material. Note that two separate models
may be needed when more data are available:
Rm ðT Þ
sref ¼ UP 2 (6)
P 0 UP 1
The parameter P0 is the LCF softening ratio calculated from Equation (1) and P1 is the
parameter giving the effect of hold time as in Equation (3) and P2 as in Equation (4).

(a) (b)
1.05 1.05

1 1 Softening model Nf = 2,600

LCF-prediction
0.95 0.95
th-corrected Measured
0.9 0.9
Measured
pn /p 0

pn /pn

0.85 0.85

0.8 0.8

0.75 0.75

0.7 0.7

0.65 0.65

0.6 0.6
Figure 11. 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Measured and n/Nf n
predicted peak
stresses for CF tests Notes: If the normalization is done by true cyclic endurance then the hold time corrections should
not be applied. (a) 3 h hold, De =1.5 percent, 550°C; (b) 1 h hold, De = 0.5 percent, 600°C
By rearranging Equation (5), the time to acquire a specified level of relaxation can be Softening and
calculated as given in Equation (7). And the relaxed stress as a function of peak stress, relaxation of
hold time and temperature as given in Equation (8): Gr. 91 steel

1=u  
ln srn =sref Q
t rel ¼ Uexp (7)
k RUT
679

   u 
Q
srn ¼ exp lnðsref Þk t rel Uexp (8)
RUT

Note that since the WE relaxation model is divided into two stress regions the u and k
parameters have to be chosen accordingly.
The initial fitting parameters for the relaxation model are given in Table V and the
resulting predicted vs measured relaxed stresses are presented in Figure 12.
To test the relaxation model on data that have not been a part of the fitting data set the
model was applied on two relaxation curves from literature. In Figure 13, the relaxation test
by Takahashi (2012) is plotted against the above described model. In Figure 14, a test curve
from a JAEA report (Asayama and Tachibana, 2007) is predicted. The JAEA curve fits well
if the reference stress is increased by 15 percent. This difference can be directly related to
differences in peak stress since the applied model is based on rather low strength material
heats. The fit for the Takahashi case is matching the measured behavior if the reference
stress is increased by 5 percent.

Parameters σ/σref ⩾ 0.35 σ/σref o 0.35

All data Table V.

k 55.554 0.1478 Initial fitting values
u 6.9512 0.07088 for the WE relaxation
Note: Q ¼ 180 kJ/mol model (Equation (5))

300

250
Measured relaxed stress (MPa)

y =1.0367x –5.3911

200

150 cyclic: y = 0.9929x

R 2 = 0.913
virgin: y =1.0201x
100 R 2 = 0.972
Figure 12.
Modeled and
50 measured relaxed
stress at specified
time for virgin and
0
cyclically softened
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
material
Predicted relaxed stress (MPa)
IJSI Discussion
8,6 The test data and the above presented models demonstrate the complexity and challenges
related to the accurate prediction of relaxation behavior. However, with the relaxation and
softening models in place it will now be possible to study the impact of strain range and hold
time on different CF damage concepts such as the time life fraction and the ductility
exhaustion as well as simplified models. This work is anticipated to be part of the final
680 assessments and reporting of the MATISSE project.
Since the cyclic material characteristics, such as cyclic softening in this case, clearly have
an effect on the relaxation/creep rate during strain holds, it is also clear that the virgin
material or the mid-life cycle alone are not necessarily sufficient representatives of the cyclic
behavior of the material.
For components in service the material softening in the form of decreased hardness could
be a good indicator for detecting creep or CF damage.
The robust prediction of relaxation under conditions with wide range of temperature,
strain and very long hold periods during the whole 60 years lifetime of a component may be
challenging, even for the best of methods.

Data-first cycle
Model-virgin
210 Data-cycle 1,000
Model-n /Nf = 0.5
190

170
Stress (MPa)

150
Figure 13. 130
Measured and
predicted relaxed 110
stress of test 90
performed by
Takahashi (2012), 70
600°C, Δε ¼ 0.5
percent, virgin and 50
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
n ¼ 1,000 cycles
Time (h)

Model Data
210

190

170
Stress (MPa)

150

130
Figure 14.
Measured and 110
predicted relaxed stress 90
of a test presented in
JAEA report (Asayama 70
and Tachibana, 2007),
550°C, Δε ¼ 0.6 50
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175
percent, virgin material
Time (h)
Conclusions Softening and
The following conclusions can be made from the assessment of the LCF and CF data relaxation of
produced in MATISSE: Gr. 91 steel
• tensile peak stresses are reduced due to tensile hold time whereas compressive peak
stresses are reduced due to compressive hold time;
• combined hold times under tension and compression lead to lower stresses under
tension as well as compression;
681
• hold times of same duration lead to significantly more pronounced softening for
smaller strain amplitudes;
• a simple engineering model can adequately predict the LCF and CF softening rates of
Gr. 91 steel;
• a simple relaxation model has successfully been adapted to predict relaxed stress for
both virgin and softened material;
• the models are still to be improved by adding both higher and lower strain range data
as well as different hold times and temperatures; and
• the applicability of the models was successfully tested against public domain data.

Acknowledgements
The research leading to these results is partly funded by the European Atomic Energy
Community’s (Euratom) Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant
agreement No. 604862 (MATISSE project) and in the framework of the European Energy
Research Alliance (EERA) Joint Programme on Nuclear Materials. The Czech contribution
was financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport Czech Republic
Project LQ1603 (Research for SUSEN) and realized within the SUSEN Project (established in
the framework of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in project CZ.1.05/
2.1.00/03.0108).

References
Asayama, T. and Tachibana, Y. (2007), “Collect available creep-fatigue data and study existing
creep-fatigue evaluation procedures for Grade 91 and Hastelloy XR”, Japan Atomic Energy Agency,
available at: www.osti.gov/scitech/servlets/purl/974282
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (2008), “Section VIII, Division 2, Rules for Construction of
Pressure Vessels – Alternative Rules”, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers,
New York, NY.
de Haan, F. (2014a), “Test data for low cycle fatigue – strain control on material P91 ar at 550 Celsius”,
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Corresponding author
Stefan Holmström can be contacted at: [email protected]

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