ECCC-guidelines for generation and assessment of weld creep data

In the framework of the European Projects ''Weld Creep'' and ''Advanced Creep'', working group WG1 of the European Collaborative Creep Committee'' elaborated recommendations for Data Generation and Data Evaluation of creep rupture data of welded joints and the application in design and analysis. The recommendations are based on extensive investigations and round robin assessments of the members of working group 1. In this paper an overview on these activities and recommendations and some more detailed descriptions of development and application is given. In the recommendations for Data Generation test specimen design, test procedures and documentation as well as specific hints on the preparation of microstructures by thermal simulation to characterize the properties of heat affected zones in ferritic materials are addressed. The recommendations for Data Assessment include Data Evaluation and extrapolation, derivation of creep rupture curves and weld reduction factors. In order to develop these recommendations creep rupture data assessments were performed and compared by members of the working group on a number of typical working datasets. The results are included in a new issue of the Weld Data Assessment Volume of the ECCC recommendations. Finally, recommendations and experience obtained will be evaluated with respect to their application on components. (orig.)