Simultaneous thermographic and optical recording media examination of the first oxide spallation event from the surface of an austenitic stainless steel

•A new technique is presented which monitors the local disturbances in temperature occurring during cooling using an Infra Red and a video camera.•The technique has been termed: Simultaneous Thermographic and Optical Recording Media Examination (STORME).•For the first time, the radius of the delamination site was measured at the point of buckle formation through to spallation of the oxide fragment.•The video recording enabled collection of the spalled fragment for SEM examination to determine the thickness and composition.•The strain energies at each stage in the spallation process of the oxides grown on TP347H FG in air-saturated steam at 923 K has been calculated and a Spallation Map constructed. Spallation of oxides grown on TP347H FG in air-saturated steam at 923 K for 50–1000 hours was investigated using a newly developed technique termed: Simultaneous Thermographic and Optical Recording Media Examination (STORME), recording the temperature disturbance resulting from delamination and spallation, during cooling, using Infra Red and video cameras. For the first time, the radius of the delamination site was measured experimentally at the point of buckle formation and followed during growth to the point of spallation. Collection of the exact spalled fragment was possible. The strain energies at each stage were calculated and a Spallation Map constructed.