Understanding How Components Fail

Stages of Fatigue Fracture

Fatigue fracture: initiation, propagation, and final rupture

Collection of background data selection of samples

Preliminary examination of failed part (visual examination and record keeping)

Nondestructive testing

Mechanical testing (including hardness and toughness testing)

Selection, identification, preservation and cleaning of all specimens

Macroscopic examination and analysis (fracture surfaces, secondary crack, and other
surface phenomenon)

Microscopic examination and analysis

Selection and preparation of metallographic sections

Examination and analysis of metallographic sections

Determination of failure mechanism

Chemical analyses (bulk, local, surface corrosion products, deposits or coating, and
electron microprobe analysis)

Analysis of fracture mechanics

Testing under simulated service conditions (special tests)

Analysis of all the evidence, formulations of conclusions, and writing the report
(including recommendations)

Collection of background data and selection of samples

Photographic records: A failure that appears almost inconsequential in a preliminary
investigation may later be found to have serirous consequence; thus a complete photographic
record of the investigation can be important.
It is advisable to look for additional evidence of damage beyond that which is
immediately apparent
It is often necessary to compare failed components with similar components that did
not fail to determine whether the failure was brought about by service conditions or was the
result of an error in manufacturing.
In routine examination of brittle fracture, it is important to know if at that time of the

accident or failure the prevailing temperature was low and if some measure of shock loading
was involved
Preliminary examination of the failed part
The failed part, including all of its fragments, should be subjected to a thorough visual
examination before any cleaning is undertaken. Soils and debris found on the part often
provide useful evidence in establishing the cause of failure or in determining a sequence of
events leading to the failure.
Visual inspection: The unaided eye has exceptional depth of focus and has the ability
to examine large area rapidly and to detect subtle changes of color and texture. Some of
these advantages are lost when any optical or electron-optical device is used.
Nondestructive Testing
Several nondestructive tests are extremely useful in failure investigation and analysis,
particularly magnetic-particle inspection of ferrous metals, liquid-penetrant inspection,
ultrasonic inspection and eddy-current inspection of material that conduct electricity.
Mechanical Testing
Hardness testing is the simplest of the mechanical tests and is ofter the most versatile
tool available to the failure analyst.
Hardness can be used to provide an approximation of the tensile strength of steel, and
detect work hardening or to detect softening or hardening caused by overheating,
decarburization or carbon pick up.
The failure analyst should exercise care in interpreting mechanical test results. For
example, the fact that a material has tensile strength 5 ~ 10% below the minimum specified
value does not mean that this is the prime cause of its failure in service.

References:
Failure analysis and prevention ASM Volume 11