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Metals
Special Issues
Metal Material Failure Analysis and Optimization
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Metal Material Failure Analysis and Optimization

A Special Issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701) belonging to the section "Metal Failure Analysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1110

Editors

Dr. Guodong Cui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Metal Materials Department, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Interests: metal heat treatment; surface modification; powder modification; sintering; phase transformation; green manufacturing and remanufacturing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chengsong Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Metal Materials Department, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Interests: metal heat treatment; surface modification; computational materials science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To improve the safety and reliability of metallic materials in engineering applications and reduce the significant economic losses caused by failure, identifying the root causes of metallic material failure has become a crucial step. Failure analysis not only uncovers the fundamental mechanisms behind failures but also provides essential data to support scientific material selection, process optimization, and service life prediction. Thus, it remains a focus of widespread interest in both academic and industrial communities.

This Special Issue highlights recent advances and emerging trends in the field of metal material failure analysis, covering—but not limited to—the following key themes:

  • Failure mechanisms and typical failure modes in metal materials, such as fatigue, fracture, corrosion, and wear;
  • Common causative factors, including design, processing, and environmental elements;
  • The role of advanced structural and microstructural characterization techniques in failure analysis;
  • Failure prevention strategies and material performance enhancement informed by failure analysis;
  • Application of computational materials science in failure analysis of metal components;
  • Typical case analysis of metal component failure.

We welcome original research and review papers related to various metals and their alloys and failure analysis.

Dr. Guodong Cui
Dr. Chengsong Zhang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

  • metal components
  • service behavior
  • fatigue
  • fracture
  • corrosion
  • wear
  • failure mechanism

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 16247 KB  
Article
X-Ray CT Inspection Limitations in a Thick-Walled LPBF Hydraulic Manifold: An Industrial Case Study
by Jan Bartolj, Ana Trajkovski and Franc Majdič
Metals 2026, 16(9), 969; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16090969 - 2 Sep 2026
Viewed by 199
Abstract
Metal additive manufacturing (AM) enables compact hydraulic manifolds with curved internal channels, reduced part count and integrated functionality. However, these benefits also create major inspection challenges, especially in thick metallic sections containing closely spaced and intersecting passages. This study examines the practical use [...] Read more.
Metal additive manufacturing (AM) enables compact hydraulic manifolds with curved internal channels, reduced part count and integrated functionality. However, these benefits also create major inspection challenges, especially in thick metallic sections containing closely spaced and intersecting passages. This study examines the practical use of X-ray computed tomography (CT) for an industrial hydraulic manifold manufactured from maraging steel MS1 by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Selected cross-sections from the reconstructed CT volume were compared with the nominal computer-aided design (CAD) geometry and evaluated using a qualitative interpretability classification supported by comparative image contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) analysis and approximate projected steel thicknesses. Clearly interpretable regions showed higher and more consistent CNR, whereas geometrically congested regions generally exhibited lower and more variable local contrast. However, projected material thickness alone did not determine interpretability, indicating an additional influence of geometric overlap, orientation and reconstruction artefacts. Particular attention was given to a channel wall adjacent to a locally collapsed external support structure. No spatially persistent through-wall discontinuity was identified, although smaller defects, local wall thinning and metallurgical changes could not be excluded. A pneumatic immersion test at 0.8 MPa showed no visible bubble formation or observable pressure decrease. This pressure exceeded the expected operating pressure of the affected relief or tank channel but was substantially below the 35 MPa maximum intended pressure of the pressure-side circuits and therefore did not constitute structural qualification. The study demonstrates that whole-component CT can provide useful local inspection information for complex LPBF manifolds, but its reliability depends strongly on local geometry and acquisition conditions. Quantitative image assessment and complementary functional testing may therefore be required when CT results are insufficient for complete qualification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Material Failure Analysis and Optimization)
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14 pages, 3319 KB  
Article
The Effect of Phosphorus on Low-Temperature Brittleness in the Coarse-Grained Heat-Affected Zone of P-SA508-4N RPV Steel
by Yu Guo, Mingyuan Xiong, Changshi Huang, Jingjing Li, Shaoming Liu and Dan Song
Metals 2026, 16(9), 946; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16090946 - 28 Aug 2026
Viewed by 263
Abstract
The coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) is a critical brittle region in welded reactor pressure vessel steels, and phosphorus segregation at prior-austenite grain boundaries can further impair its low-temperature toughness during long-term service. Although phosphorus-induced embrittlement has been established for SA508-4N base metal, the [...] Read more.
The coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) is a critical brittle region in welded reactor pressure vessel steels, and phosphorus segregation at prior-austenite grain boundaries can further impair its low-temperature toughness during long-term service. Although phosphorus-induced embrittlement has been established for SA508-4N base metal, the quantitative relationship between grain-boundary phosphorus segregation and the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) in the CGHAZ—and the role of its distinct bainitic microstructure relative to the base metal—remains insufficiently understood. Here, a CGHAZ was simulated in P-doped SA508-4N steel and thermally aged at 500, 530, and 560 °C to establish different equilibrium segregation levels. Optical metallography, Vickers hardness testing, Charpy impact testing, and Auger electron spectroscopy were used to correlate microstructure, hardness, DBTT, and grain-boundary phosphorus concentration. As the aging temperature increased from 500 to 560 °C, the grain-boundary phosphorus concentration decreased from 21.40 to 18.46 at. %, while the DBTT decreased from −53 to −91 °C. The nearly unchanged hardness excludes hardening as the principal cause, demonstrating that the toughness variation is governed predominantly by non-hardening embrittlement associated with phosphorus segregation. The DBTT exhibited a strong positive linear correlation with the equilibrium grain-boundary phosphorus concentration. Moreover, at a comparable prior-austenite grain size, hardness, and phosphorus segregation level, the CGHAZ showed a higher DBTT than the base metal, which is attributed to the lower crack-deflection capability of tempered bainite compared with tempered martensite. These results fill the quantitative gap linking phosphorus segregation to CGHAZ embrittlement and provide a basis for assessing the long-term integrity of SA508-4N welded joints. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Material Failure Analysis and Optimization)
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14 pages, 29702 KB  
Article
In Situ Investigation of Temperature and Strain-Rate-Dependent Serrated Flow and Crack Evolution in Mn13 High–Manganese Steel
by Ming Gao, Yang Liu, Yanling Zhang, Yaqiang Li, Qiang Liu and Lei Cheng
Metals 2026, 16(8), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/met16080910 - 14 Aug 2026
Viewed by 304
Abstract
Temperature- and strain-rate-dependent serrated flow, localized plastic instability, and qualitative microcrack evolution in Mn13 Hadfield steel were investigated using stress–strain analysis and in situ tensile observation. Solution treatment at 1050 °C for 1–1.5 h followed by water quenching yielded homogeneous single-phase austenite. Type [...] Read more.
Temperature- and strain-rate-dependent serrated flow, localized plastic instability, and qualitative microcrack evolution in Mn13 Hadfield steel were investigated using stress–strain analysis and in situ tensile observation. Solution treatment at 1050 °C for 1–1.5 h followed by water quenching yielded homogeneous single-phase austenite. Type A and Type B serrations were dominant at room temperature at 1 × 10−3 s−1 and at 100 °C at 1 × 10−2 s−1, whereas the room-temperature specimen tested at 1 × 10−2 s−1 showed delayed serration onset and pronounced Type B stress drops only at high strains. Type C serrations occurred mainly near fracture at 100 °C at 1 × 10−3 s−1, 200 °C at 1 × 10−2 s−1 and 200 °C at 5 × 10−2 s−1. In situ observations further reveal that different serration types correspond to distinct localized deformation modes. During Type A serrations, the tracked feature exhibited unidirectional stepwise migration involving forward motion, arrest, and renewed advance. Type B serrations were associated with discontinuous pulse-like migration characterized by rapid forward motion, brief arrest, local backward motion, and renewed advance. No regular trajectory was observed during Type C stress drops; only local brightness changes and slight positional shifts occurred. These observations link macroscopic serrations to localized deformation in Mn13 steel and provide qualitative in situ evidence for grain-boundary microcrack initiation and evolution during deformation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Material Failure Analysis and Optimization)
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