Case Studies

• Failure Analysis of Natural Gas Service Compression Fitting:
  
  Two gas "Factory Assembled Transition Fittings" were submitted for determining the cause of failure. The pipe ends were found to be fractured, approximately one week after installation, during final hook up process. A metallurgical failure analysis was conducted on pipe ends to characterize the mode of fracture.
  
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• Failure Analysis of Steel Wire Ropes:
  
  Two lengths of broken 9/16 inch steel wire rope were submitted for determining the cause of failure, when they failed in a four high parking lift.
  
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• Failure Analysis of Twenty-four Inch Cast Iron Water Main:
  
  Two sections of a failed twenty-four inch water main were submitted for determining the cause of failure. The pipe was reported to have been installed under a River in New Jersey, in 1902. The pipe failed on September 19, 2005. The two sections constituted the male part of the bell joint that was about six feet from a concrete pier.
  
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• Failure Analysis of Plastic (vinyl) Covered Wire Rope Cable:
  
  A section of a fractured plastic (vinyl) covered wire rope cable was submitted for failure analysis. The Wire Rope was installed on to the lateral pull-down machine at a Gym and was part of a personal injury Lawsuit.
  
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• Failure Analysis of Weld Neck Flange in a Refinery:
  
  A spool piece comprising of a three inch weld neck flange, a six inch by three inch eccentric reducer and a six inch weld neck flange was submitted for failure analysis. The spool piece was installed on a Heavy Cut Naphtha line that operated at 380 Degrees F at 20 psig in a refinery. Naphtha leakage had been reported through this spool piece.
  
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• Fatigue Failure of a Truck Axle:
  
  A broken truck axle was submitted to determine the cause of failure. The axle had broken at two locations resulting in three parts. The broken axle is one of the several similar axles that have broken in the recent batches.
  
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• Determining Steel Reinforcement in a structural slab:
  
  Client wanted to expand the facility and for structural analysis purposes, the structural engineer wanted to know the amount of the steel present in the slab. It was also important to find the slab thickness, concrete cover over rebar and the sizing of the rebars. ITS GPR survey team was requested to perform a structural survey of the slab.
  
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• Locating the position of rebar and/or conduits in the slab for core-drilling purposes:
  
  Client wanted to core drill in various locations. While the process of core drilling was being performed, there was a situation where driller accidentally drilled through an electrical conduit which knocked out electricity for small part of the building. In order to avoid such an incident in the future, GPR survey team was requested to locate rebar and/or conduits which run through the concrete slab.
  
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• Locating the position of fuel mains and pipes at an Airport Terminal:
  
  Client wanted to do some excavation work. Before excavating, client wants to know the positioning of the fuel pipes, and what is the cover between the top of soil and the top of pipes. A GPR crew was engaged to perform the survey of the selected area.
  
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• Case Study Radar Scan:
  
  radar scan images of slab on metal deck in an area of size 90" x 90".The total thickness of the slab (including the metal deck) is approximately 11". These images are presented in an imaginary horizontal plane of 0.25” thickness across the depth of the slab starting from a depth of 2” from top of the slab.
  
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• Comparative Metallurgical Investigation of Soldered Joints:
  
  Two sets of soldered joints identified as "OEM" and "VENDOR" were submitted for comparative Metallurgical Evaluation.
  
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• Evaluation of Stainless Steel Razor Blades:
  
  A request was made to evaluate five brands of Stainless Steel double edge razor blades. The brands studied were manufacturer G, P, S, T and W. A series of physical, metallurgical and chemical tests were performed on each of the five brands in order to evaluate the material of construction and quality of manufacture.
  
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• Microexamination and Hardness test of Broken Water Pump Bearing Shafts:
  
  Four Sections of broken Water Pump Bearing Shafts were submitted for metallurgical examination. The shafts were from different manufacuters and were marked as follows:
  
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• Failure Analysis of Fire Water Pipe failed in Hydrotest:
  
  A failed section of eight inch underground city fire water pipe was submitted for determining the cause of failure. A segment of the pipe had blown out during hydro test. The blown out piece was not available for examination and information available to ITS indicated that the blown out piece was located on the lower side of the pipe line, which was installed during 1930's
  
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• Failure Analysis of a Boiler due to Thermal Stresses:
  
  A Large Boiler was found to be leaking after two years of service. Two out of 11 sections from the failed boiler were submitted for determining the cause of failure
  
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• Failure Analysis of a Boiler:
  
  One failed stay rod from a house boiler was submitted for determining the cause of failure. Water had been leaking through the tell tale hole of the stay rod for several months.
  
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• Failure Analysis of Bus Radiator Cores:
  
  Two radiator cores were submitted for failure analysis. The cores had been taken out from diesel engines of 2002-03 New Flyer Articulated bus Nos. 1 and 2. It was reported that in response to a high number of coolant leaks at the radiator head gasket, the bus OEM/radiator manufacturer, conducted a fleet wide study to replace the gaskets on all radiators with an upgraded gasket. Some of these radiators continued to leak at the same gasketed joints, approximately 6 to 8 months later.
  
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• Failure Analysis of Diesel Engine Crankshaft:
  
  Three pieces of a broken crank shaft of a 1300 HP V-12 twin-turbo charged, inter-cooled Diesel Engine from a 61 Ft Yacht were submitted for failure analysis.
  
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• Failure Analysis of Diesel Engine Cylinder Liners:
  
  Three used cylinder liners identified by numbers 277, 1016 and 1076 were submitted for failure analysis. The liners were pitted on the outside surface.Liner 277 had a crack under the flange, additionally.
  
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• Failure Analysis of Excavator Heel:
  
  One broken boom heel of a large excavator was submitted for failure analysis. The excavator was used on a marine boat. The heel had cracked above the weld to the deck mounting.
  
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• Failure Analysis of forty-eight Inch Cast Iron Water Main:
  
  Two sections of failed 48 inch underground water main were submitted for failure analysis. The two pieces appeared to be the parent pipe piece, Figure 1 and the split off piece, Figure 2. The main break had occurred on April 19, 2005 adjacent to the Street Bridge over a River in New Jersey, Figure 3.The pipe line had been laid in 1929 and was cement lined subsequently.
  
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