Catastrophic failures are caused by the interrelationships between material properties, design, fabrication, loading, and preexisting flaws. Stress corrosion cracking triggered a 1962 Pennsylvania bridge collapse, and similar corrosion damage caused an Aloha Airlines passenger plane to lose almost 30% of its roof in mid-air. These failures are explained by fracture toughness and material fracture mechanics laboratories.
Fracture mechanics and control laboratories
Fracture mechanics lab testing derives a value that can be used in design work to ensure that the fabrication does not fail by brittle fracture. Additionally, in relation to fatigue testing and corrosion rates, Element experts can use it to determine life, or remaining life, of a fabrication.
What industries use this test?
Element is qualified to conduct the machining, fatigue pre-cracking, and fracture toughness determination, or FTD, of bend or compact-tension samples from every type of product, including large and complex structures—such as buildings, bridges, ships, aircraft, windmill towers, nuclear reactors, pressure vessels, and press bodies.
Element's Engineered Mechanics and Metallurgical Engineering experts can help solve fracture toughness problems specific to many industries—from ground vehicle, aerospace, and defense suppliers to the power generation sector and nuclear and wind power industries. Contact us for more information.