Failure Investigation & Root Cause Analysis
OSG Materials Consultants can assist with failure investigations related to materials selection, welding, corrosion, integrity management and coatings.
OSG has experience in identifying and managing the following types of failure mechanisms in a range of materials, such as line pipe, forgings, castings and weldments:
- Corrosion fatigue
- Corrosion mechanisms (HIC, SSCC, SOHIC and HE)
- Erosion corrosion
- Stress corrosion cracking
- High temperature sensitization
- Ductile and brittle fractures
- Creep and stress rupture
- Wear failures
- Weld defects
Causes of Failures
Typical causes of equipment failures can be attributed to one or a combination of the following, however most of these failures can be prevented by careful specification preparation and involving the materials engineers early on during detailed design.
- Use of high strength materials ( SMYS > 500MPa)
- Highly stressed components (residual and service)
- Hydrogen charging due to cathodic protection.
- Fatigue loading ( thermal / VIV)
- Varying thermal expansion coefficients
- Poor toughness in the weld and HAZ regions
OSG can manage the following failure analysis activities:
- Determination and identification of failure mechanisms and modes
- Examination of failed components to determine the cause of failure
- Materials analysis
- Metallographic Examination (including SEM and TEM work)
- Fitness-for-service assessment
- Remedial and repair work
- On-site investigation and testing