Small punch creep test method: results from a round Robin carried out within EPERC TTF5

The Small Punch (SP) test method has been known for many years already, but the method has not been fully established yet and the effect of various testing configurations is not known. Within the EPERC TTF5 (Integrity Assessment during Operation) there were several member organisations willing to cooperate in a small Round Robin exercise in order to contribute to the process of establishing the method, hopefully leading towards a Code of Practice in the near future. The test method has the great benefit that material sampling can be made from the component surface by removing only a very thin layer, which normally does not effect the integrity of the component at all. Also the test facility is fairly simple, the test is easy to perform and inexpensive. However, the method has not yet been standardised and the expertise of performing the tests and analysing the results has been limited to fairly few organisations. With standardisation the acceptance is expected to increase. The test method can be used for both creep as well as for tensile and fracture mechanics analysis, but in this exercise the activities were limited to creep testing only. (orig.)