Structural Integrity and Failure Assessments in Metals and Alloys

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Metal Failure Analysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 5111

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
Interests: thermal and thermo-mechanical processing of metallic materials; advanced high strength steels (AHSS); ultrafast heating, thermal cycling, microstructural characterization including texture -SEM, EBSD (TKD, TEM, XRD); processing-structure-property relationship in metallic materials; damage and fracture in AHSS, rails and bearings
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Guest Editor
Materials Engineering Department, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
Interests: failure analysis; microstructural analysis; microstructure-mechanical properties relationship; remaining lifetime assessments

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since the beginning of the human civilization the failure analysis is a driving force for improving the strength of all materials used in the constructions and tools. Nowadays, the structural integrity and failure analysis have become an even more important research field combining modeling, materials characterization, microstructural analysis, stress analysis, and design factors that can all be involved in failure and integrity assessments. Different industrial sectors have lately become increasingly interested in integrity management and failure analysis. Lessons learnt from failures can be used in process optimization and in minimizing damages and losses in industries.  

This Special Issue on “Structural Integrity and Failure Analysis in Metals and Alloys” intends to collect the recent developments, technical reports and case studies in the field. Original manuscripts, technical papers and reviews on all aspects of failures and integrity assessment, including modeling of failures, microstructural analysis, environmental degradations, high temperature failures, corrosion-related damages, and lifetime prediction are welcome. The Special Issue is oriented not only to researchers from universities and industrial research centers but also to the organizations directly involved in the production and product development.

Topics addressed in this Special Issue may include, but are not limited to:

  • Microstructural aspects of failures
  • High-temperature failures
  • Stress analysis
  • Structural integrity analysis
  • Fitness-for-service analysis
  • Industrial failures
  • Remaining lifetime assessments

Prof. Dr. Roumen Petrov
Dr. Abbas Bahrami
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • modeling
  • failure analysis
  • microstructure
  • materials characterization
  • integrity assessments
  • remaining lifetime assessments
  • industrial failures

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 25509 KiB  
Article
Failure Characterization of Al-Zn-Mg Alloy and Its Weld Using Integrated Acoustic Emission and Digital Image Techniques
by Ronghua Zhu and Dazhao Chi
Metals 2024, 14(2), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14020190 - 02 Feb 2024
Viewed by 631
Abstract
The three-point bending damage process of an A7N01 aluminum alloy body material and weld seam in an electric multiple unit train was monitored using acoustic emission (AE) and digital image technology. The AE signal characteristics of static load damage to the aluminum alloy [...] Read more.
The three-point bending damage process of an A7N01 aluminum alloy body material and weld seam in an electric multiple unit train was monitored using acoustic emission (AE) and digital image technology. The AE signal characteristics of static load damage to the aluminum alloy and weld seam were studied using the AE signal parameter and time–frequency analysis. Based on the observation of the microstructure and fracture morphology, the source mechanism of AE signals was analyzed. The experimental results indicate that AE energy, centroid frequency, and peak frequency are effective indices for predicting the initiation of cracks in A7N01 aluminum alloy and weld seams. The digital image monitoring results of the notch tip damage evolution of aluminum alloy samples confirmed the predictions based on AE energy, centroid frequency, and peak frequency for crack initiation. The AE signal source mechanism revealed that the differences in AE characteristics between the base material and weld seam can be attributed to microstructure variations and fracture modes. In summary, the AE technique is more sensitive to changes in the fracture mode and can be utilized to monitor the damage evolution of welded structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Integrity and Failure Assessments in Metals and Alloys)
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20 pages, 9270 KiB  
Article
Confirming Debonding of Non-Metallic Inclusions as an Important Factor in Damage Initiation in Bearing Steel
by Ksenija Nikolic, Jelle De Wispelaere, Gopalakrishnan Ravi, Stijn Hertelé, Tom Depover, Kim Verbeken and Roumen H. Petrov
Metals 2023, 13(6), 1113; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13061113 - 13 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1105
Abstract
Damage in bearings is closely associated with the presence of microstructural alterations, known as white etching areas (WEAs) and white etching cracks (WECs). One of the main reasons for the creation of these microstructural alterations is the presence of defects in the material, [...] Read more.
Damage in bearings is closely associated with the presence of microstructural alterations, known as white etching areas (WEAs) and white etching cracks (WECs). One of the main reasons for the creation of these microstructural alterations is the presence of defects in the material, such as non-metallic inclusions. Manganese sulfides and aluminum oxides are widely reported in the literature as the most common types of non-metallic inclusions found in bearing steels. This study classifies 280 non-metallic inclusions in an investigated bearing steel according to several criteria: bonded/debonded with the matrix, size, shape, orientation angle, depth below the raceway surface, and chemical composition. Contrary to the findings in the literature, this investigation reports that the chemical composition of the inclusion (MnS + Al2O3) is of secondary importance when considering factors for damage initiation. The orientation of the microstructural alterations is observed to coincide with the high-stress regions, indicating a relation between the formation of butterfly wings and the white etching crack. In our investigation, butterfly wings typically exhibit a 45-degree pattern originating from the non-metallic inclusions. Conversely, the white etching crack starts from the non-metallic inclusion at a shallower angle in correspondence to the raceway. This can be attributed to the stress state, which corresponds to a region where extensive white etching cracks are formed. In conclusion, the microstructural observations demonstrate that the state of non-metallic inclusion—i.e., whether they are bonded or not to the steel matrix—plays an essential role in initiating rolling contact fatigue damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Integrity and Failure Assessments in Metals and Alloys)
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14 pages, 2778 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Dynamic Strain Aging Effect in Austenitic Weld Metals by 3D-DIC
by Amke Lescur, Erich Stergar, Jun Lim, Stijn Hertelé and Roumen H. Petrov
Metals 2023, 13(2), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13020311 - 03 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1309
Abstract
Austenitic stainless steels similar to type AISI 316L are widely used structural materials in current and future nuclear reactors. Careful development and characterization of these materials and their welds is needed to verify the structural integrity of large-scale multicomponent structures. Understanding the local [...] Read more.
Austenitic stainless steels similar to type AISI 316L are widely used structural materials in current and future nuclear reactors. Careful development and characterization of these materials and their welds is needed to verify the structural integrity of large-scale multicomponent structures. Understanding the local deformation behavior in heterogeneous materials and the mechanisms involved is key to further improve the performance and reliability of the materials at the global scale and can help in developing more accurate models and design rules. The full-field 3D digital image correlation (3D-DIC) technique was used to characterize two 316L multi-pass welds, based on cylindrical uniaxial tensile tests at room temperature, 350 °C, and 450 °C. The results were compared to solution annealed 316L material. The inhomogeneous character and dynamic behavior of the 316L base and weld materials were successfully characterized using 3D-DIC data, yielding high-quality and accurate local strain calculations for geometrically challenging conditions. The difference in character of the dynamic strain aging (DSA) effect present in base and weld materials was identified, where local inhomogeneous straining in weld material resulted in discontinuous type A Portevin–Le Châtelier (PLC) bands. This technique characterized the difference between local and global material behavior, whereas standard mechanical tests could not. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Integrity and Failure Assessments in Metals and Alloys)
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12 pages, 5366 KiB  
Article
Failure Analysis of Two HP-Nb Heat-Resistant Tubes after 46,000 h Exposure to Reformer Service Conditions
by Ali Nazemi Harandi, Abdoulmajid Eslami, Abbas Bahrami, Asghar Bakhtafrouz and Maryam Yazdan Mehr
Metals 2023, 13(2), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13020228 - 26 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1416
Abstract
This study presents a failure analysis in two reformer tubes used for hydrogen production in a petrochemical industry. These tubes (Tube A and Tube B) were made by the centrifugal casting of HP-Nb alloy in such a way that one contained titanium as [...] Read more.
This study presents a failure analysis in two reformer tubes used for hydrogen production in a petrochemical industry. These tubes (Tube A and Tube B) were made by the centrifugal casting of HP-Nb alloy in such a way that one contained titanium as a micro-element, and the other was free from titanium in its chemical composition. Although the two tubes were subjected to similar creep conditions, Tube A failed after only 46,000 h of operation against the design life of 100,000 h. SEM images showed initiation and growth of creep pores next to chromium carbide particles, as well as the formation of microcracks in Cr23C6 carbides. Pore initiation occurs as a result of grain boundary sliding and is strongly dependent on structural morphology. The tube containing titanium (Tube B) showed higher thermal stability and higher creep resistance than the tube without titanium (Tube A), which was due to the formation of finer and more discrete carbide particles. The final fracture of the tube without titanium (Tube A) occurred due to the coalescence of creep pores and the creation of grain boundary cracks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Integrity and Failure Assessments in Metals and Alloys)
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