J Fail. Anal. and Preven.

(2014) 14:594–600
DOI 10.1007/s11668-014-9875-6

CASE HISTORY—PEER-REVIEWED

Failure Investigation of Cracks in Bolted Flange

Gys van Zyl • Mazin Al-Musharraf •

Mohammed Al-Muaisub

Submitted: 31 August 2014 / Published online: 19 September 2014

Ó ASM International 2014

Abstract Cracks were observed on the outer diameter of The valves are fabricated from cast stainless steel
the bolted flanges of a number of large control valves in ASTM A351 GR CF8C, and have the following design
high temperature service. An investigation was launched to conditions:
determine the cause of cracking and propose corrective
action. Metallurgical failure analysis and finite element
Design pressure: 3.87 kg/cm2
analysis techniques were used to investigate the fracture,
Design temperature: 704 °C
and concluded that the failures occurred due to thermal
fatigue. A structural assessment performed on a cracked
flange concluded that the cracks do not have an adverse Figure 1 contains an illustration of the valve that indicates
effect on the integrity of the flange and it was concluded the location of failure.
that the cracked flanges could be safely returned to service.

Keywords Failure analysis  Bolted flange  Metallurgical Investigation

High temperature  Finite element analysis 
Cast stainless steel  Thermal fatigue Visual and Stereoscopic Inspection

A portion of the cracked flange containing one cracked bolt

Introduction
At a petrochemical facility, the supply of hot air to five
reactors is controlled by means of gate valves. The five
reactors operate sequentially in a batch process and the
control valves are used to allow flow of air to the specific
reactor where it is required by the phase of operation.
The valves are 4200 nominal size wedge gate valves and
are connected to the piping header system by means of
bolted flange joints with metallic ring type gaskets. Mul-
tiple cracks started to occur on the outer diameter of the
valve flanges. Each crack runs through the thinnest portion
of the flange between the surface of the bolt hole and the
outer diameter of the flange.
G. van Zyl (&)  M. Al-Musharraf  M. Al-Muaisub
SABIC Manufacturing Competence Center, Jubail, Saudi Arabia
e-mail: vanzylgn@sabic.com
hole was cut and submitted for investigation. The received
sample is shown in Fig. 2.
The crack was photographed using a stereomicroscope
at the positions and orientations shown diagrammatically in
Fig. 3. The resulting stereomicroscope images are pro-
vided in Fig. 4.
Opening and cleaning the fracture faces revealed visible
beach marks that are indicative of a fatigue crack [1] ini-
tiating from multiple origins from the bolt hole surface and
propagating toward the outside of the flange (Fig. 5).
XRF/CS and XRD Analyses
Chemical analysis of a sample of the flange showed that the
material is a cast stainless steel of grade 347 [2] and that it
conforms to the specified chemical composition require-
ments, see Table 1.

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Stem Bonnet
Disc
Cracked flange
Flow direction
Body
Fig. 1 Illustration of valve and failure location
Fig. 2 As-received sample of portion of cracked flange
Metallographic Examination
A cross-section of the crack parallel to the plane of Fig. 4b
was mounted, polished and etched by KOH for detailed
metallographic examination.
Figure 6 reveals that the crack follows a jagged, trans-
granular path.
Figure 7 shows the cross-section of the crack at its ini-
tiation point from the bolt hole surface. This image shows a
rather thick oxide scale on the surface of the bolt hole and
some oxides on the fracture surface at the start point of the
595
Fig. 3 Diagram showing location of crack and locations of stereo-
microscope images
crack. Also visible are signs of plastic deformation at the
fracture origin.
SEM Analysis
The fracture face was examined under scanning electron
microscope (SEM). Striations that are typical of fatigue
failure [1] were observed at multiple locations.
Counting and measuring the striation spacing con-
cluded that the striations are spaced from 3 to 4 lm apart.
The shortest crack path from the surface of the bolt hole
to the outer diameter of the flange is 14 mm. It follows
that approximately 3500–4500 cycles were needed to
propagate the crack this distance. This is a relatively low
number, and within the range where fatigue will be
associated with high stress levels and plastic deformation
(Fig. 8).
Finite Element Analysis
A finite element analysis was performed to evaluate the
stress distribution and performance of the flange under
normal operating conditions. During service, the valve
and line is thermally insulated, but the valve flanges are
not. Potentially, this could create thermal gradients and
stresses that could cause the observed failures. It was the
purpose of the finite element analysis to evaluate this
possibility.
As the bolted flange is a cyclically repeating geome-
try, a model consisting of a segment of the flange
containing three bolts was created. The two mating
flanges were modeled with identical geometries, but one
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Fig. 4 Stereomicroscopic views of crack (a) Viewed from flange OD (b) Viewed from flange face

Flange OD

Points of initiation Bolt hole

Fig. 5 View on fracture face, highlighting the beach marks and Fig. 6 Cross-section of crack at its starting point
possible initiation points

Table 1 Chemical analysis of sample of flange material (wt.%)

Element Sample ASTM A-351 GR CF8C [3], max

Carbon 0.0746 0.80

Manganese 1.312 1.50
Phosphorus 0.0375 0.04
Sulfur 0.0189 0.04
Silicon 1.172 2.00
Nickel 10.855 12.0
Chromium 20.485 21.0
Niobiuma 0.606 1.00
a
Niobium content shall not be less than 8 times the carbon content
but not over 1.00%
Fig. 7 Cross-section of fracture at origin

was meshed with an increased mesh density. Stress An elastic–plastic material model was used for the
results from the finer meshed flange were used in the flange. The material model considered temperature-
assessment (Figs. 9, 10). dependent strain-hardening effects.

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Fig. 8 Examination of the fracture face under SEM revealed fatigue striations
Fig. 9 Finite element model of bolted flange joint
Fig. 10 Detail view of the model at the ring joint gasket interface
597
Thermal Analysis
A steady-state thermal analysis was performed in order to
calculate a temperature distribution that matches with
conditions experienced during service. Infrared thermog-
raphy images of the flange in operation were used to
calibrate the boundary conditions of the simulation (Fig.
11). Boundary conditions consisted of convective heat
transfer from the process (663 °C, 110 W/m2 °C) and
convective heat loss to atmosphere (25.5 °C, 40 W/m2 °C).
Static Structural Analysis
A static structural analysis was performed to evaluate the
stress distribution in the flange under conditions of opera-
tion. Loads were applied in three steps:
Step 1: 86.3 kN bolt loads (Flange design bolt load
calculated in accordance with the ASME BPVC,
Appendix 2 [4]).
Step 2: 3.87 kg/cm2 internal design pressure of valve.
Step 3: Steady-state temperature distribution shown in
Fig. 11.
Under applied bolt load and internal pressure, the stress
distribution is dominated by the effects of contact at the
ring gasket, see Fig. 12a.
When the effect of thermal gradients is added, the cal-
culated stress distribution changes dramatically, see
Fig. 12b. It is clear to see that the thermal gradient across
the flange induces large thermal stresses.
Closer examination of the thermal stresses show that
large tensile stresses occur in the bore of the bolt holes,
corresponding to the location of cracking (Fig. 13). Stress
levels inside the bolt holes exceed the yield strength of the
material and estimated plastic deformation reaches a max-
imum of 0.6% as a result of the thermal stresses, see Fig. 14.
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Fig. 11 Calculated temperature distribution, compared to infrared thermography

Fig. 12 Calculated stress distribution in flange

Static Structural Analysis of Damaged Flange

A static structural analysis was performed where all bolt

holes were considered to be cracked through—an extreme
case of the damage observed on the flanges. The same
loads were considered as for the preceding analysis (bolt
loads, pressure, and temperature).
The cracks in the flange were modeled as disconnected
regions on the outer diameter of the flange, see Fig. 15.
Results show that the cracked bolt holes have very
little appreciable effect on the stresses developed as a
result of mechanical loads (bolt loads, pressure), see
Fig. 16. The cracked bolt holes do have a remarkable
effect to reduce thermal stresses. Constrained thermal
expansion due to the strong thermal gradient through the
flange is relieved when the bolt holes are fully cracked
through, see Fig. 17.
Fig. 13 Maximum principal stress distribution (all loads combined)

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Fig. 14 Distribution of plastic strain (all loads combined)
Fig. 15 Method of modeling a fully cracked flange
Fig. 16 Comparison of stress distribution in undamaged and damaged flanges under conditions of applied mechanical loads (bolts loads and
pressure)
599
Discussion
The metallurgical investigation found clear signs of
fatigue failure [1]. Typical fatigue striations were found
at multiple locations on the fracture face. Beach marks
on the fracture face indicated that the fracture initiated
from the surface of the bolt hole and propagated toward
the flange outer diameter. Cracks initiated from the
surface of the flange bolt hole and were filled with
oxides, which is commonly associated with thermal
fatigue cracking [5].
Finite element analysis shows a strong agreement
between the location of maximum calculated tensile
stresses and the location of cracks. The stress distribution
is most heavily influenced by thermal gradients through
the flange. Under mechanical loads (bolt loads and
internal pressure), the stress distribution is dominated by
stresses at the contact interface between the flanges and
ring gasket, while stresses are relatively low elsewhere.
Under operating conditions, the flange is heated from the
inside by the process (temperatures in excess of 650 °C).
With the flange not thermally insulated, the surfaces on
the outer diameter are cooled by ambient conditions. This
generates a strong thermal gradient through the flange,
which results in large tensile thermal stresses concen-
trating at the bolt holes.
Finite element analysis found that peak stresses exceed
the yield strength of the material and significant plastic
deformation occurs inside the bolt hole. Signs of plastic
deformation were also found during the metallurgical
investigation and evaluation of striation spacing showed
that fatigue failure occurred after a relatively low number
of cycles.
When an assessment is performed of the case where all
bolt holes are fully cracked through to the outer diameter of
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Fig. 17 Comparison of stress distribution in undamaged and damaged flanges under all combined loads (bolts loads, pressure, and temperature)
the flange, it can be observed that this type of damage has
no appreciable effect on the ability of the flange to resist
the applied mechanical loads. Cracking of bolt holes
effectively relieves the majority of thermal stresses caused
by restrained thermal expansion in the flange.
Conclusion
The control valve flanges crack at the bolt holes through a
fatigue mechanism. Stresses are caused by the thermal
gradient through the flange, as a consequence of not ther-
mally insulating the flange.
Cracking of the flanges in the manner observed relieves
the thermal stresses and has no appreciable influence on the
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structural integrity of the flange. In the cracked condition,
the flanges are still suitable for service.
References
1. W.T. Becker, R.J. Shipley (eds.), ASM Handbook-Volume 11:
Failure Analysis and Prevention. (ASM International, Materials
Park, 2002), pp. 1328–1349
2. ASM International Handbook Committee, ASM Handbook-Volume
1: Properties and Selection: Irons Steels and High Performance
Alloys. (ASM International, Materials Park, 1990) pp. 2195–2248
3. ASTM A351-12b. Standard Specification for Castings, Austenitic,
for Pressure-Containing Parts. (ASTM International, West Cons-
hohocken, 2012)
4. ASME, ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII
Division 1. (ASME International, New York, 2013)
5. American Petroleum Institute, API 571 Damage Mechanisms
Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry (API Publish-
ing Services, Washington DC, 2011)