## Understanding Creep and Creep Rate

So I'm looking through some material on creep for one of my courses. There is a graph of strain ε vs Time, t. Consisting of Primary creep, steady-state creep, and tertiary creep. I pretty much can follow that and understand why the graph looks the way it does.

However there is another graph under it that is ln(dεss/dt) vs ln(σ). I am trying to understand what the significance is of taking the natural log of stress and the steady state creep rate. What would a graph containing these things be telling us, and why the natural log?

Thanks for any help.
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 Admin In the elastic range, σ = Eε, where E is the elastic (Young's) modulus, i.e., it's linear as in 'linear elastic'. In most systems, the service domain is in the elastic range. Secondary or steady-state creep involves inelastic or plastic deformation in which, σ = Kεn, or ln σ = ln K + n ln ε. and there is also cases where, σ = K εn $\dot{\epsilon}^m$. In the case of ln(dεss/dt) vs ln(σ), this implies a strain rate effect, i.e., strain hardening or strain rate (hardening) effect, e.g., σ = K $\dot{\epsilon}^m$.