Uniaxial Time-Dependent Ratcheting of SS304 Stainless Steel at High Temperatures

The uniaxial time-dependent strain cyclic behaviors and ratcheting of SS304 stainless steel were studied at high temperatures (350 °C and 700 °C). The effects of straining and stressing rates, holding time at the peak and/or valley of each cycle in addition to ambient temperature on the cyclic softening/hardening behavior and ratcheting of the material were discussed. It can be seen from experimental results that the material presents remarkable time dependence at 700 °C, and the ratcheting strain depends greatly on the stressing rate, holding time and ambient temperature. Some significant conclusions are obtained, which are useful to build a constitutive model describing the time-dependent cyclic deformation of the material.