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Provides us the right direction to look for human / latent roots of failure that has set in fracture mechanism. It is based on theories of fracture mechanism. It requires a good prior understanding of material properties and different stress systems induced in mechanical components by different types of applied forces.
Level -2
Human Roots Inappropriate human intervention (acts of commission as well as omission) that result in the mechanisms responsible for failures -Design -Manufacturing -Maintenance -Installation -Operating errors -Situation blindness
Level -3
Latent Roots weakness) (System
Practices / policies / actions that allow inappropriate human actions to occur -Lack of training -Lack of skill -Corporate policies -Pressures to carry out jobs in hurry -Lack of supervisory system -Lack of system for design validation / review
Step 3
Determine the source of such loads arising out of interaction between the component and its environment / other elements of machine) Dynamics of machines Free body diagram and force analysis + Machine specific knowledge
Activity
Tool Reqd.
Step 3
Failure / fracture mechanism is found to be rotating bending fatigue failure by examining failed shaft cross section.
Bending force / load is required on part of the shaft beyond drive side bearing to trigger the observed failure mechanism
Sources of bending load on the part of shaft beyond drive side bearing could be (1) Weight of shaft mounted geared motor normal condition (2) Vertical downward force exerted by geared motor holding down bolts in case of mismatch of distance between shaft CL & geared motor bottom and shaft CL and mounting plate top.
Step 2 : Determine type of forces / loads which generated the stresses required to trigger the identified failure mechanism
5.
6.
Stress / Load
Time t in sec
Stress / Load
Time t in sec
Variable Loading : Applied load OR the induced stresses on a component changes with time Examples 1. Change in magnitude of applied load Punching or shearing operations 2. Change in direction of load application Connecting rod 3. Change in point of load application Rotating shaft
Beach / Progression / Conchoidal marks : If the cyclical load on the part is not constant while the crack is growing , the growth rate and surface appearance will change, and the result of these load changes are the progression marks.
Instantaneous Zone : When the load on the component becomes greater than the remaining strength, the piece suddenly fractures across the instantaneous zone. This final fracture may be ductile or brittle but mostly it is brittle fracture. Surface is rough and crystalline in appearance. Size of instantaneous zone (IZ) is in indication of the stress on the part at the time of final fracture.
This fatigue failure started at the keyway . The fracture face is relatively smooth up until the ends of the two arrows . From there to the final fracture progression marks are readily visible.
Progression marks are readily visible features on the fracture surface while striations generally visible under magnification
Fatigue striations of low carbon alloy steel: This scanning electron microscope fractograph shows the roughly horizontal ridges (striations) which are advance of the crack front with each stress cycle.
Fatigue striations showing the result of spectrum loading in a laboratory test of aluminum alloy 7075-T6. In this test, the specimen was loaded 10 cycles at a high stress, then 10 at a lower stress. This produced 10 large striations and then 10 small striations
A small Instantaneous fracture zone in comparison to Fatigue zone indicates that shaft was lightly loaded but have gone through a considerable no. of cycles before final fracture
(1) Excessive radial thrust force exerted on motor shaft pinion by 1st stage gear as involute profile / pressure angle / root addendum dia. of pinion and gear are not matching
(1) Radial thrust due to loosening of holding down bolts along with oscillation of lantern .
Leaching 2 Lime jumbo bag hoist drum supporting shaft fracture surface
Fatigue failure of supporting shaft was result of eccentricity between drum outer bearing housing support and its supporting shaft .
Leaching 2 Lime jumbo bag hoist drum supporting shaft fracture surface
Fatigue failure of supporting shaft was result of eccentricity between drum outer bearing housing and its supporting shaft .
Rotating Bending :
Bisector of IZ DOES NOT points to crack origin as the crack grows unequally with shaft rotation. It is possible to determine the direction of rotation of shaft by looking at fractured surface.
Formation of ratchet marks in fillet of stepped shaft under uniform rotating bending failure
Distinction between effects of from high stress and high stress concentrations
Motor shaft 900 r/ min. failed in 24 hours IZ is very small showing there was a light load at the time of failure. No progression marks, showing loading was constant. Huge no. of tiny ratchet marks with an origin between them Many fracture origins with a relatively light load indicates there is very high stress concentration.
Motor shaft 900 r/ min. failed in 12 hours IZ is much larger indicating that load was much larger at the time of failure. No progression marks, showing loading was constant. Few ratchet marks and therefore few fracture origins. Many fracture origins with a relatively light load indicates there is very high stress concentration.
1. The ratchet marks on either side of the primary origin grow in slightly different directions, indicating the fracture began at this origin 2. Note in case of low stress, high stress concentration, the corners of the progression marks turn downward because the high stress concentration accelerates crack growth
Round X section
The fact that the fatigue zone on one side is larger than the fatigue zone on the other side does not necessarily means the stress on other side is also higher.
The high total stress at the exterior of the shaft causes failures to begin at many locations . This high total stress may just be the result of the load on the part or it may be caused by a high stress concentration acting on a moderate or low load.
Failure of stem for a 2-m wide gate valve of sewage treatment plant . It failed 3 months after installation
Failure of 1045 carbon steel motor shaft . The point of failure was at the shoulder of the customer takeoff end
Step 3 : Determine sources of such loads - arising out of interaction between the component and its environment / other elements of machine)
Typical force analysis of rotor of a horizontal end suction single stage volute centrifugal pump
Various forces on a pump rotor could be divided in two groups depending on direction 1. Axial loads : (a) Hydrostatic force acting on the impeller front and back shrouds (b) The momentum force due to the change in direction of the fluid flow through the impeller (c) The hydrostatic force due to the hydraulic pressure acting on the impeller (suction) opening and shaft 2. Radial loads
Force analysis of a single stage overhung impeller horizontal centrifugal pump Normal operation
Force analysis of a single stage overhung impeller horizontal centrifugal pump Abnormal Operation / installation
Additional hydraulic load on impeller due to 1. Off duty operation ( far away opern from BEP) 2. Pockets in casing due to air ingression 3. Cavitation 4. Impeller unbalance
Bending load due to misalignment with motor shaft or bent shaft or coupling unbalance
Force analysis of a belt conveyor head pulley driven by shaft mounted geared
Force analysis of a belt conveyor head pulley driven by shaft mounted geared motor Normal operation
T1 Applied torque by geared motor
T2
Bearing reactions
Weight of pulley
Bearing reactions
Force analysis of a belt conveyor head pulley driven by shaft mounted geared motor Abnormal operation / misalignment
T1 Applied torque by geared motor
Additional load on pulley shaft due to 1. Non colinearity of two stub shafts 2. Excessive tensioning of belt
T2
Bearing reactions
Weight of pulley
Bearing reactions
Excessive impact crushing load on keyway and key if key is loose fit in shaft. This may also result in fatigue failure of shaft itself. Loose fitting keys effect would be very prominent in machines having dynamic load or load reversal like agitator, chain conveyor
In both above cases, inappropriate assembly practices contributed substantially to the failures. Loose key and coupling fitting results in fretting, which continually reduces the fatigue strength of the shaft material. Eventually, the strength drops to the point at which a fracture begins.
Aluminum alloy 7075-T73 landing gear torque arm assembly redesigned to eliminate fatigue fracture at a lubrication hole