Advances and Challenges in Structural Integrity

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of four key challenges for structural integrity assessment methods: surface technology and incubation / initiation of defects, microstructural effects on weld performance, realistic loading and defect morphologies and thermal / irradiation effects on materials and structures. These challenges will be met by the application of emerging experimental and numerical methods which will facilitate the development of a mechanistic understanding of these four challenges alongside mechanistically-based models to enable the reliable prediction of component performance outside the available database of materials behaviour.

A review of surface integrity in machining and its impact on functional performance and life of machined products

“…This work compares the surface textures of both processes and shows the origin and growth of the microcrack including the grain boundary alterations in EDM processes. In a more recent work, Sherry (2007), through the extended use of high-energy X-ray tomography techniques, has shown a microstructure-level mapping method to offer a fundamental understanding of the local strain development at the microstructure level. It is proposed that the behaviour of materials in engineering components and structures can be predicted through the use of a multi-scale modelling using the fundamental understanding of the microstructural evolutions including grain boundary changes.…”

Crack Size Tolerance of Under-Matched Joints of Hull Steel with Different Weld Toughness

“…The choice of M has always been concerned. However, the matching ratio of the toughness and its influence on service performance have little attention [1]. Based on a series of experiments, the paper studied safety performance of 2 under-matched joints of 10CrNi3MoV hull steel with different weld toughness.…”