What are the most common causes and consequences of ductile and brittle fracture in engineering applications?

3 Ductile fracture consequences

Ductile fracture is generally considered more favorable than brittle fracture, because it gives a warning sign of impending failure and allows for some redistribution of stress. However, ductile fracture can also have negative consequences, such as reducing the strength and stiffness of a structure, increasing the weight and cost of a component, and causing fatigue and creep damage. Some examples of engineering problems caused by ductile fracture are metal fatigue in aircraft wings, creep rupture in steam pipes, and hydrogen embrittlement in steel.

4 Brittle fracture causes

Brittle fracture occurs when a material undergoes unstable crack growth under low stress and little or no plastic deformation. It is usually sudden and catastrophic, without any prior indication of failure. The main causes of brittle fracture are high temperature, low strain rate, low triaxial stress, and high fracture toughness. These factors increase the sensitivity of a material to crack initiation and propagation.

5 Brittle fracture consequences

Brittle fracture is generally considered more dangerous than ductile fracture, because it can result in sudden and complete failure of a structure or component, without any chance of repair or prevention. It can also cause secondary damage to adjacent parts or systems, due to the release of kinetic energy and fragments. Some examples of engineering problems caused by brittle fracture are thermal shock in ceramics, cleavage in metals, and stress corrosion cracking in alloys.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?