The high-strain high-temperature fatigue behaviour of a cast 0·5 Cr-M 0-V steel for steam turbine casings has been evaluated extensively in tests lasting several years. The results define the influence of strain range, dwell period, fatigue-cycle shape, and test temperature on the cyclic endurance. The effect of these parameters on the peak stress and on the stress-relaxation behaviour is also described. A comprehensive review of the data available for Cr-Mo and Cr-Mo-V casing steels suggests that they all have similar resistance to high-strain high-temperature fatigue cracking. An accurate description of the data, facilitating interpolation and extrapolation, is given by ihe relationship established between dwell period and cyclic endurance. However, comparative evaluation of creep-fatigue damage accumulation models together with metal/ographic examination of test specimens indicates that the life-fraction rule provides the best method of predicting the behaviour of steam turbine components in service.MT/531Strain-controlled tests have, therefore, been used to obtain materials data. Much of the information was obtained from mechanical reverse-bend machines 14 since tests with an endurance of five years or more were required' and it is not practical to operate more sophisticated machines continuously over such long periods. However, axial pushpull tests, not continued to specimen failure, were used to provide the cyclic stress-strain data not obtainable from reverse-bend tests. The specimens, of designs used previously,15 were tested at 773, 798, or 823K, covering the most common inlet temperatures of high-temperature steam turbines. Testing was'in air, at a cyclic frequency of O·02Hz (reverse-bend) or 0·01 Hz (push-pull). Tests in steam have a slightly longer endurance than tests in air but the difference in endurance between tests at 0·01 Hz and 0·02Hz is negligible.l 5 -17 Dwell periods of up to 16h were introduced at either the maximum tensile strain (laboratory and type 1 cycles, Fig. I) or at the middle of the strain range (type 2 cycle, Fig. 1), these cycles representing the range of cycles which may occur in a component in service. 6 However, most of the data were generated using the laboratory cycle and these data have, therefore, been used in illustrating the present paper.Composition, wt-% During service, large steam turbine components experience cycles of thermal strain as a result of the temperature gradients which occur on heating and cooling during start-up and shut-down or load changes. These thermal transients are most severe at the surfaces exposed to hightemperature steam and, particularly in the region of stressconcentrating features, may result in cyclic plastic deformation. Furthermore, components operating in the creep range suffer creep damage during the on-load period.Prevention of crack formation under these combined creep-fatigue conditions is an important consideration in steam turbine practice 1 -n since inadequate allowance, in either design or operation, can lead to cracking in serv...