Experimental determination of creep properties of Zirconium alloys together with phase transformation

The temperatures of α → β transformation for the Zircaloy-4 and Zr–1%NbO alloys were determined using resistivity, calorimetry, image analysis and thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. The experimental and calculated results were found to be in good agreement. The steady state creep behavior was then determined in the single phase and (α + β) phase temperature ranges. Finally, the creep results for both alloys were modeled and summarized into deformation-mechanism maps.