Solving some key failure analysis problems using advanced methods for materials testing

A dilemma encountered in engineering practice is a proliferation of newly designed (mostly high-strength and/or corrosion-resistant) steels and alloys that are unusable in industry as they are highly susceptible to failure under operating conditions including environmentally assisted cracking. The problem of materials failure has several sources, the most significant of which is how engineers select which material to use in which industry. As a rule, selection is based solely on assessing the mechanical properties of materials with little or no consideration of how these mechanical properties will interface with specific operating parameters found within different industries. The functional design, selection and use of materials aimed at preventing in-service failures depends, therefore, on finding testing methods, standards and approaches appropriate to real operating conditions guided by analysis of material performance under those conditions.