It has been found that the crack development in conditions of creep takes place as a result of a damage accumulation in the zone located near the tip of the crack, followed by sudden propagation to the depth of the damaged zone. The dependence of time to fracture at 560 degree C of welded joints in heat-resistant steels 12Kh1MF and 15Kh1M1F on the initial stress intensity factor at the tip of a crack-like defect has been determined.