Considerations in Material Selection

Economics of Material Selection. Cost is an overpowering consideration in material selection. The basic cost of a material depends upon ... 

Wagner and Wellmer (2009) have formalized this classification into a hierarchy, suggesting that substituting for materials placed higher in the hierarchy with those at a lower level constitutes a sustainable change. This included recycling a material or reusing within its own class within the hierarchy. The hierarchy is based on the valuation of the materials alone and lacks the dimension of environmental and human safety that should also be important considerations in material selection and use. The use of a material or a product that contains a potentially toxic residue/leachate or does not have a means of recovery is certainly not a sustainable practice. 

It is a parameter that is used to measure the volume expansivity of pure substances and is defined at constant pressure, P. In the field of materials science, the property of linear coefficient of thermal expansion is an important consideration in materials selection and design of products. This property is used to account for the change in volume when the temperature of the material is changed. The linear coefficient of thermal expansion is defined as... 

Factors that influence corrosion consideration in material selection are distinct from those that interact in a more complex fashion. For example, application influences selection because the type of process, and the variables during operation etc., will deflne whether a material can be used for the intended purpose or not. On the other hand mechanical and metallurgical properties are not uniquely defined for all environments. For example, if the material is to be used at low temperature then embrittlement can be a serious problem. 

These considerations have a direct influence on corrosion consideration in material selection. However, when there is discrepancy amongst sections of this book, or between this and other disciplines regarding selection of materials, other priorities, such as client preference, in-house experience, and specific industry standards, should also be observed. 

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