Failure of Hydraulic hoses

Hydraulic hoses are used in many instances and a wide range of applications.
Currently a company making these hoses is struggling with a large number of
claims relating with failure of their hoses. Three examples are given below:

Case 1: Drilling rig fire

During an onshore drilling a fireball was observed during drilling originating

from a hose on a separator. The hydraulic liquid caught fire, while it was
spraying on a hot engine part. Luckily nobody got injured. The failed hose was in
operation for approximately 5 years and all components where OEM. The
location and a zoom in of the 50.8 mm (100r1 type as specified b in AS 3791-
1991 Hydraulic Hoses hose) are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Right the failure location of the hose, left the zoom in of the failed wires.

The operating pressure of this type of hose is 2.6 MPa the maximum allowable
working pressure of the system was 1.03 MPa.

Case 2: Excavator Boom lift hose

During excavation a hose on the boom lift exploded and propelled mechanical
parts towards the cabin of the operator, nearly hitting operator. The hose was in
service for only 6 months while the policy is to replace the hoses every 2 years.
The normal operating pressure of the hose was approximately 34 MPa with very
limited pressure spikes. The upper limit of the hose is 35 MPa a close-up of the
failure location is given in

Figure 2: Close up of failed hydraulic hose excavator

Case 3: Front end loader Hoist lift hose

At the time of failure the loader had approximately a operating time of 14.773
hours. The hoses where still OEM parts, supplied by the loader manufacturer.
The hose has a maximum operating pressure of approximately 35 MPa (50.8mm
internal diameter 100R3 type hose with six alternating heavy wire spirals
around a synthetic inner tube with a synthetic outer tube. The operating
pressure was around 20.7 MPa. There was some outer tube damage observed 4
months prior to the failure, see Figure 3. A closeup of the failed hose spiral is
given in

Figure 3: Cross section of damaged area next to the failure location. Showing the damaged outer
tubing.

Figure 4: Spiral wire ends of the failed hose.

The main questions now arising are:

1. What is the failure mechanism behind these failures?
2. How can the maintenance policy be adjusted (intervals and methods) to
prevent these failures.