THE ROLE OF THE METALLURGIST IN THE INVESTIGATION OF COMPONENT FAILURES AND VEHICLE ACCIDENTS. PARTS 1 AND 2

This two part article is a summary of a lecture given to the London Branch of the Institute of Automobile Engineer Assessors in March, 1977. The author states that the purpose of the article is to demonstrate how metallurgical examination leads to failure diagnosis and to illustrate particularly the new dimension of fracture study made possible by the use of electron microscopes - no longer the specialist tool of the research investigation. Information is also provided on some of the problems associated with attempts to diagnose reasons for a failure based solely on knowledge of practical engineering. It is suggested that all the known facts relating to the history of the vehicle in question and the circumstances of the accident should be made available if the metallurgist is to interpret his findings correctly. The nature of metals and their manner of failure are discussed and in particular that related to the study of crystal structure. This is considered to play a major part in any metallurgical investigation of fracture since it has such an important bearing on mechanical behaviour and the way cracks grow. The mechanics of fracture is discussed as related to a metallurgical examination, and examples (illustrated) presented of investigational techniques. Certain aspects of interest to both vehicle engineers and assessors in the case of service failures are discussed. /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03091430
• Corporate Authors:

  Jour of the Inst of Automotive Eng Assessors, Inc

  1 Birdcage Walk, Westminster
  London SW1H 9JJ,   England 
• Authors:
  • Reynolds, K A
• Publication Date: 1977-8

Media Info

• Features: Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 10-3
• Serial:
  • Journal of the Inst of Automotive Eng Assessors
  • Volume: 13
  • Publisher: Jour of the Inst of Automotive Eng Assessors, Inc
  • ISSN: 0309-1430

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automotive engineering; Chemical composition; Cracking; Crash causes; Defects; Diagnosis; Diagnostic tests; Electron microscopes; Electronics; Failure; Fracture mechanics; Metallography; Metals; Microscopes; Rock crystals; Traffic crashes; Vehicle components
• ITRD Terms: 1354: Components of the vehicle; 5211: Cracking; 4023: Crystal; 5238: Defect (tech); 6965: Electronics; 5520: Failure; 4543: Metal; 6790: Microscope; 5937: Structure (physicochem)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I34: Steels and Metals; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00195222
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 15 1979 12:00AM