The aim of this book is to investigate and explain the rapid advances in the characterization of high temperature crack growth behaviour which have been made in recent years, with reference to industrial applications. Complicated mathematics has been minimized with the emphasis placed instead on finding solutions using simplified procedures without the need for complex numerical analysis.

Coal- and gas-based power plants currently supply the largest proportion of the world’s power generation capacity, and are required to operate to increasingly stringent environmental standards. Higher temperature combustion is therefore being adopted to improve plant efficiency and to maintain net power output given the energy penalty that integration of advanced emissions control systems cause. However, such operating regimes also serve to intensify degradation mechanisms within power plant systems, potentially affecting their reliability and lifespan.Power plant life management and performance improvement critically reviews the fundamental degradation mechanisms that affect conventional power plant systems and components, as well as examining the operation and maintenance approaches and advanced plant rejuvenation and retrofit options that the industry are applying to ensure overall plant performance improvement and life management.Part one initially reviews plant operation issues, including fuel flexibility, condition monitoring and performance assessment. Parts two, three and four focus on coal boiler plant, gas turbine plant, and steam boiler and turbine plant respectively, reviewing environmental degradation mechanisms affecting plant components and their mitigation via advances in materials selection and life management approaches, such as repair, refurbishment and upgrade. Finally, part five reviews issues relevant to the performance management and improvement of advanced heat exchangers and power plant welds.With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Power plant life management and performance improvement is an essential reference for power plant operators, industrial engineers and metallurgists, and researchers interested in this important field. Provides an overview of the improvements to plant efficiency in coal- and gas-based power plants Critically reviews the fundamental degradation mechanisms that affect conventional power plant systems and components, noting mitigation routes alongside monitoring and assessment methods Addresses plant operation issues including fuel flexibility, condition monitoring and performance assessment

Provides information from around the world on creep in multiple high-temperature metals, alloys, and advanced materials.

Fracture is a major cause of failure in metallic and non-metallic materials and structures. An understanding of the micro- and macro- mechanisms of fracture enables materials scientists to develop materials with high fracture resistance, which in turn helps engineers and designers to ensure the soundness and integrity of structures made from these materials. The International Congress on Fracture is held every four years and is an occasion to take stock of the major achievements in the broad field of fracture, to honour those who have made lasting contributions to this field, and to reflect on the future directions. ICF9 is published in six volumes covering the areas of:-- Failure Analysis, Remaining Life Assessment, Life Extension and Repair- Failure of Multiphase and Non-Metallic Materials- Fatigue of Metallic and Non-Metallic Materials and Structures- Theoretical and Computational Fracture Mechanics and New Directions- Testing and Characterization Methods, and Interfacial Fracture Mechanics- High Strain Rate Fracture and Impact Mechanics.

This book serves as a comprehensive resource on various traditional, advanced and futuristic material technologies for aerospace applications encompassing nearly 20 major areas. Each of the chapters addresses scientific principles behind processing and production, production details, equipment and facilities for industrial production, and finally aerospace application areas of these material technologies. The chapters are authored by pioneers of industrial aerospace material technologies. This book has a well-planned layout in 4 parts. The first part deals with primary metal and material processing, including nano manufacturing. The second part deals with materials characterization and testing methodologies and technologies. The third part addresses structural design. Finally, several advanced material technologies are covered in the fourth part. Some key advanced topics such as “Structural Design by ASIP”, “Damage Mechanics-Based Life Prediction and Extension” and “Principles of Structural Health Monitoring” are dealt with at equal length as the traditional aerospace materials technology topics. This book will be useful to students, researchers and professionals working in the domain of aerospace materials.

The International Symposium "Fatigue under Thermal and Mechanical Loading", held at Petten (The Netherlands) on May 22-24, 1995, was jointly organized by the Institute for Advanced Materials of The Joint Research Centre, E. C. , and by the Societe Fran~se de Metallurgie et de Materiaux. The fast heating and cooling cycles experienced by many high temperature components cause thermally induced stresses, which often operate in combination with mechanical loads. The resulting thermal / mechanical fatigue cycle leads to material degradation mechanisms and failure modes typical of service cycles. The growing awareness that the synergism between the combined thermal and mechanical loads can not be reproduced by means of isothermal tests, has resulted in an increasing interest in thermal and thermo-mechanical fatigue testing. This trend has been reinforced by the constant pull by industry for more performant, yet safer high temperature systems, pushing the materials to the limit of their properties. Dedicated ASTM meetings in particular have set the scene for this area of research. The proceedings of the symposium organized by D. A. Spera and D. F. Mowbray in 1975 provided a reference book on thermal fatigue which reflects the knowledge and experimental capabilities of the mid-seventies.