How do you develop and improve your skills and knowledge in failure analysis as a structural engineer?

Failure analysis goes beyond just structural failure analysis. Any engineered component, or system can fail and hence will be the subject of a failure analysis investigation. Beyond the skills mentioned above, knowledge of high magnification surface characterization techniques, such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) or Tunneling Electron Microscopy (TEM), fractography (fracture surface topography analysis), metallurgy, and human factors are often useful in conducting failure analysis investigation. Equally important as above is the ability to write reports that can communicate technical findings via language that can easily be understood by non-technical people.

Understanding the systems of production is usually a critical aspect of having the information needed to understand how an item fails. Each system - materials, methods, manpower, etc. can be a factor and it seems that most often the root cause is a combination of these factors that can only be ascertained by understanding each one.

There are many books and journals that cover the basics of failure analysis. These resources provide detailed explanations of the concepts and methods of failure analysis. Also, online courses can be taken at your own pace and provide a comprehensive overview of the subject. However, based on my previous experience, it is important to practice with real-world case studies. Finally, we should learn the language of our industry which uses relevant codes, and standards. All I mentioned will help you identify potential failure modes and design structures that are safe.

I’ve found that failure analysis requires a multimodal approach, which usually consists of an extensive understanding of evaluating material properties, engineering mechanics in real world environments, and a bit of “detective” work. Asking the right questions to everyone involved in the product/component’s life cycle is crucial. Input should always be gathered from a wide array of personnel, from those using the product, all the way to those who first designed it. It is one of my favorite areas of engineering because it helps technical personnel gain a better understanding of real world applications, as well as practicing social skills. Accidents can happen, but it teaches us to always address the problem, and not the person.

Analyze real-life failure case studies and research papers to understand the root causes, failure mechanisms, and lessons learned. This will develop your critical thinking skills and deepen your understanding of failure analysis.

Use theory and simulation to plan tests and use the results of tests to refine the analysis. Iterate until you have identified the root cause(s) and confirmed that you didn't create a new problem. This may take a long time to completely solve the problem.

Abaqus is a FEA software that everyone can use for failure analysis. You can find several capabilities for simulating complex mechanical behaviors, including material failure (ductile and brittle fracture), fatigue, and creep. In addition, Abaqus has a wide range of material models used to simulate different types of materials and their failure behavior.

Receber feedback de colegas mais experientes e mentores pode ser extremamente valioso para melhorar suas habilidades em análise de falhas. Eles podem oferecer insights e orienta??es específicas que você pode n?o conseguir identificar sozinho.

This is a great question. I am not a structural engineer but have worked as a Reliability Engineer in a variety of fields, from semiconductor to Very High-Power Industrial systems. My best advice is to understand the physics of failure. Understand the thermodynamics of those things that can cause failure. A great place to start is Crowe's "Design for Reliability" Chp. 14. ESPEC used to issue technology reports with great failure mechanism information as well. Once one understands the environmental, chemical, physical, and usage influences on the material/structure/system, one can then understand better what to look for as far as failure analysis is concerned, and also what to protect against in design. Cheers, J

The biggest help I found was that I was lucky enough to be mentored under an expert in failure analysis for 8 years. Even with that training I still find I am constantly learning new things when it comes to failure analysis, I love the challenge of putting together so many different processes and analysis and bringing all of the information together into a logical conclusion. There is nothing better than working side by side with someone who brings 25+ years to the table.

Train yourself to view and conceptualize everything in the world around you as free body diagrams, and as a system of mass-spring-dampers. Some obvious everyday examples might include: What do the shear and moment diagrams of a highway overpass look like? How might you draw the dynamic suspension system of your vehicle? What forces and moments must be reacted by the fasteners holding your ceiling fan above your head? What's going on with the thin sheet metal panels on your backyard grill as you sear steaks over high heat? Performing these mental exercises i.orove your ability to identify load paths and stress fields within any structure, allowing you to approach any problem with better intuition, and problem solving approach.

Obviously, in addition to the necessary study and continuous practice already abundantly mentioned, I would also suggest behaviours and attitudes one should maintain in order to deal professionally with a failure analysis. I would sum it up with one of my favourite quotes by Feynman that comes to mind, namely "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool”: which translates into pursuing the truth by following the data, without allowing one's own desires and preconceptions to influence its interpretation. It may sound trivial but I think it is one of the dangers one can easily run into during a failure analysis.