Failure study of a cracked speed boat steering wheel

• Failure analysis of a cracked speed boat steering wheel.
• Two cracks emanating from single fastener hole.
• Torque measurement, material determination, SEM fracture surface investigation.
• Numerical stress analysis.

Failure of a cracked steering wheel is studied in this paper. Steering wheel, mounted on a speed boat, had cracks emanating from one of the fastener holes until final fracture occurred. Failure analysis, combining experimental and numerical techniques, was performed. Experimentally, fasteners torque moments were measured, visual inspection performed and material type determined (aluminum alloy AA 6061). Additionally, scanning electron microscopy examination was employed to characterize the microstructure of the fractured surface. Using finite element analysis, stress analysis of a cracked steering wheel was conducted. Stress intensities of uncracked and cracked steering wheel were compared to find out about stress concentration points. Possible causes of crack occurrence include excessive fastener torque moment, fretting between fastener and hole combined with poor machining that left marks that serve as potential crack initiation points. Obtained results are valuable for predicting fracture behavior of the cracked steering wheel and can be taken as a reference for design and exploitation process of such component.