Failure analysis and fatigue performance evaluation of a failed connecting rod of reciprocating air compressor

• Failure of a connecting rod has been reported to occur.
• Fatigue is the most probable cause of failure in the connecting rod.
• Crack initiation occurred at a fillet of the big connecting rod end.
• Fatigue crack growth rate behaviour could be related to metallurgical factors.
• Design and material selection need to be improved to prevent future failures.

A connecting rod of a reciprocating air compressor is subjected to complex dynamic loads therefore it is of a critical machine element. Failure of this type of connecting rod was reported to occur at the rounded fillet of the big connecting rod end. The present investigation is aimed to identify the cause of failure and to evaluate fatigue performance of the failed connecting rod. Factors affecting failure including structural design, type of material and dynamic loads were assessed using standard failure analysis method. This method included analysis of chemical composition, microstructural examination using optical microscopy, hardness and tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) fractography and stress analysis. To evaluate fatigue performance, fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) test was performed using a sinusoidal load with a constant load amplitude. Results of this investigation suggest that the cause of failure was low cycle fatigue and the initial crack location was consistent with high stress concentration, i.e. fillet radius. From metallurgical point of view, the connecting rod was made of cast steel, not forged steel, with a considerable number of non metallic inclusions such as Al2O3, SiO2 and FeO. These inclusions which were present near the surface of the rounded fillet seemed to act as stress raiser and they were responsible for crack initiation. In addition, the presence of inclusions could increase fatigue crack growth rate, da/dN (in m/cycle) as indicated by a high value of Paris’ constant (n), typically of 5.2141.