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.
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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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