Biaxial creep behavior is studied in hexagonal close packed metals and alloys that have been processed with varied textures, microstructures, and operating slip systems. Investigations on the transitional creep mechanisms from power law to viscous creep and the effects of texture on these transitions are being examined. Several metals and alloys have been selected for the studies to provide materials with vastly different textures. Microstructural studies are accomplished using scanning transmission electron microscopy to determine dislocation structures and optical metallography to aid in slip trace analysis. %%% The research is seen as valuable to the high temperature use of metal alloys and for better understanding of their behavior under biaxial stresses. Hexagonal close packed metals are used in aerospace and energy industries where they are exposed to high temperatures and complex loading conditions. Improved understanding of creep under these conditions should lead to techniques to take advantage of textural hardening and to predict anisotropic deformation.
