Stress-cracking failure

Environmental stress cracking % failure none none... 

All the failures that have been reported or observed directly have been circumferencial in nature, at the edge of the cement layer at fitting socket entrances. The nature of these failures indicates that the failures are the result of solvent stress crack failure, that is, failure due to stress in the system which is accelerated by the presence of solvent from the cement. 

More than 25% of plastic part failures have been found to be due to ESC. Environmental stress crack failures share several typical characteristics ... 

Resistance to Chemical Environments and Solubility. As a rule, amorphous plastics are susceptible, to various degrees, to cracking by certain chemical environments when the plastic material is placed under stress. The phenomenon is referred to as environmental stress cracking (ESC) and the resistance of the polymer to failure by this mode is known as environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR). The tendency of a polymer to undergo ESC depends on several factors, the most important of which are appHed stress, temperature, and the concentration of the aggressive species. 

The material in use as of the mid-1990s in these components is HDPE, a linear polymer which is tough, resiUent, ductile, wear resistant, and has low friction (see Olefin polymers, polyethylene). Polymers are prone to both creep and fatigue (stress) cracking. Moreover, HDPE has a modulus of elasticity that is only one-tenth that of the bone, thus it increases the level of stress transmitted to the cement, thereby increasing the potential for cement mantle failure. When the acetabular HDPE cup is backed by metal, it stiffens the HDPE cup. This results in function similar to that of natural subchondral bone. Metal backing has become standard on acetabular cups. 

Stress Corrosion Crocking. Stress corrosion cracking occurs from the combined action of corrosion and stress. The corrosion may be initiated by improper chemical cleaning, high dissolved oxygen levels, pH excursions in the boiler water, the presence of free hydroxide, and high levels of chlorides. Stresses are either residual in the metal or caused by thermal excursions. Rapid startup or shutdown can cause or further aggravate stresses. Tube failures occur near stressed areas such as welds, supports, or cold worked areas. 

After a layer fails, the behavior of the laminate depends on how the mechanical and thermal interactions between layers uncouple. Actually, failure of a layer might not mean that it can no longer carry load. In the present example of a cross-ply laminate, the inner layer with fibers at 90° to the x-axis has failed, but, because of the orientation of the fibers (perpendicular to the main failure-causing stress), the failure should be only a series of cracks parallel to the fibers. Thus, stress can still be carried by the inner layer in the fiber direction (y-direction). 

Chloride salts (sodium chloride, potassium chloride) tend to interfere with the formation of a protective layer over metals. Chloride salts destroy the passivity of some stainless steels and cause them to fail by rapid cracking under tensile stress at temperatures higher than about 176°F (80°C). This type of failure is called chloride stress cracking (CSC) [186,194]. 

Fittings Forged fittings instead of miters for supporting the headers the forged fittings minimize failures due to stress cracking... 

The two principal forms of stress-corrosion failure are (a) hot salt cracking and (Z)) room-temperature cracking, the latter occurring in both aqueous and methanolic chloride environments, and in N2O4. In addition, environmental failures can occur in alloys in direct contact with some liquid and solid metals, and certain gases. 

The representation of the results from slow strain-rate tests may be through the usual ductility parameters such as reduction in area, the maximum load achieved, the crack velocity or even the time to failure, although as with all tests, metallographic or fractographic examination, whilst not readily quantifiable, should also be involved. Since stress-corrosion failures are usually associated with relatively little plastic deformation, the ductility... 

---