A method for long-term creep-rupture strength prediction based on a small sample of experimental results, smoothed bootstrapping and time-temperature parameters

A method is presented that enables predictions of long-term creep-rupture strength based on a small sample of short-term experimental results. Smoothed bootstrapping in combination with the most commonly used time-temperature parameters is used for the determination of the optimal values of coefficients. For ten metals, creep-rupture strengths are evaluated for both full-size and sub-size data sets. Predictions in the case of small data sets always lie on the conservative side, whereas the confidence interval of predicted strengths decreases with an increasing number of experimental results. However it is shown here that for the evaluated materials, usable interim predictions of creep-rupture strengths can be achieved. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.