Titanic
Gordana A. Cingara
Failure Analysis
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Failure Analysis
Failure analysis is a systematic investigation
of a broken part, product, or system to
determine the cause of failure.
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PROCEDURE
1. INITIAL OBSERVATIONS
• On-the site analysis
• A detailed visual study
• Record all details by many photographs
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PROCEDURE
2. QUESTIONS
• How long was the part in service?
• What was the nature of the stresses at time of failure?
• Was the part subjected to overload?
• Was the part properly installed?
• Was the part properly maintained?
• Was it subjected to service abuse?
• Where there any changes in the environment?
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The Basic Causes
A. Material
• Selection
• Processing (heat treatment, casting,
cold/hot working, etc.)
B. Design
C. Misuse: overload, maintenance
Failure may be due to:
Poor design
Materials failing to meet specifications
Choosing the wrong material
Materials degradation
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Analyses
1. Chemical composition
2. Mechanical Properties
3. Microscopy
a)Optical (for processing)
b) SEM (fracture surface - fractography)
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Design Strategy: Stay Above DBTT
The Titanic
Bow portion of the Titanic
Problem: Used a steel with a DBTT close to the
room temperature.
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Titanic steel microstructure
Fig. 1 (a)
Fig. 2
Figure 1. An optical micrograph of steel for the hull of
the TITANIC in (a) longitudinal and (b) transverse
directions, showing banding that resulted in
elongated pearlite colonies and MnS particles.
Etchant is 2% Nital.
Figure 2. An SEM of the etched surface of the
TITANIC hull steel showing pearlite colonies, ferrite
grains, an elongated MnS particle, and nonmetallic
Fig. 1 (b) inclusions. Etchant is 2% Nital.
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SEM fractographs (Titanic steel)
Charpy bar fracture surface from a
sample fractured at 0oC. Note presence
of ductility along ridges.
MnS particle (SOFT and sharp edges –
stress concentration
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Any fracture process involves two steps:
• Crack nucleation
• Crack GROWTH (propagation)
• Stress concentration
• Stress raisers - ability to enlarge an applied stress
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SEM fractographs (Titanic steel)
Charpy bar fracture surface from a
sample fractured at 0oC. Note presence
of ductility along ridges.
MnS particle (SOFT and sharp edges –
stress concentration
Reasons:
• DBTT
• Steel – soft inclusions
• Stress raisers – Inclusion sharp cornesr
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Design Strategy: Stay Above The DBTT!
Fractured T-2 tanker, the S.S. Schenecttay, which failed in 1941
Problem: Steels were used having
DBTT’s just below room 3SP3
temperature.
- G. Cingara
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Material Failures Occur in all Types of Devices
and Structures
Ship-cyclic loading from waves
From Fig. 9.0, Callister (original Neil Boenzi, The New York Times.)
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Material Failures Occur in all Types of
Devices and Structures
Hip implant cyclic loading from walking
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Material Failures Occur in all Types of
Devices and Structures
Computer chip cyclic thermal loading
Adapted from Fig. 18.11W(b), Callister 6e.
(Fig. 18.11W(b) is courtesy of National
Semiconductor Corporation.) 3SP3 - G. Cingara 15
Design & welding Example: Rocket Casing
• The large NASA rocket casing (7 m diameter)
– Failed during proof testing
– Failed at a weld between two plates
– Was made from grade 250 maraging steel
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Design & welding Example: Rocket Casing
• Catastrophic rupture of a 660 cm rocket motor casing that
fractured during a hydrotest at an internal pressure of only
56% that of planned value.
• The case has been fabricated by welding together many
sections of a 250-grade maraging steel
• Numerous WELD DEFECTS
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Failure of a Pressurized Pipe
Failure may be:
Ductile
• Specimen still a single piece
• Extensive deformation
Brittle
• Many pieces
• Little deformation
Figures from V.J. Colangelo and F.A. Heiser, Analysis of
Metallurgical Failures (2nd ed.), Fig. 4.1(a) and (b), p.
66 John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1987..
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Faulty Heat Treatment
a)
b) c)
a. Band-saw blade cracked after 30 min of use
b. Cracked blade showing teeth were hardened well past the teeth
roots. Notice the vertical crack in the hardened zone.
c. Properly hardened blade – only the teeth have been hardened.
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• The part is used as die in a plasma weld application
• Alloy: Cu-10.5%Al-3.5%Fe, continuously cast 20
Fracture surface
- Aluminum Bronze
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https://www.copper.org/resources/properties/microstructure/al_bronzes.html
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RESIDUAL STRESS
Stresses produced by differences in plastic deformation
of the metal (during casting, welding, heat treating or
cold working)
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