Name :

Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras Roll No.:

Date: 2nd Nov 2020 (1645 to 1745 hours) Duration: 60 minutes Max Marks: 25
Failure Analysis and Design - Mid Semester (July Nov 2020)

Note: 1. Answer all questions briefly.

2. Referring to any text book, slides and / or webpages AND conversation with others are strictly prohibited.
3. Write in A4 size papers, scan and send as ONE SINGLE PDF FILE before 1800 hours to
gmoorthy@smail.iitm.ac.in. Delayed receipt of mail will not be considered.
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1) Many failures were observed as shown in Figure 1. Comment on the most possible physical, human and latent root causes of the
failure [3]

Figure 1 Figure 2

2) Fractograph of the broken steel sample observed is shown in Figure 2.

Name the type of fracture and possible TWO main causes for the failure? [3]

3) A severely loaded fastener used in the railway bridges needs to be designed and developed. Suggest the (i) most suitable class of
material (ii) expected types of failure and (iii) TWO important properties that needs to be considered during material selection.
[3]

4) The stress – number of cycle (S-N) data obtained from rotating beam bending tests for two different type of Steels Grade 4340 and
A36 are shown in the figure below. Samples used are cylindrical hour glass type. [8]

Steel 4340 Grade

Steel A36 Grade

1
 Draw the schematic of the Comments
features expected
(a) Fracture surface of the
sample tested at the stress
amplitude of 300 MPa

(b) Fracture surface of the

sample tested at the stress
amplitude of 700 MPa

(c) Surface of the unbroken

sample tested at 200 MPa and
survived for 107 cycles

(d)Surface of the unbroken

sample tested at 200 MPa and
survived for 107 cycles

2
5) A square load bearing member made of high strength steel having a tensile strength of 800 MPa, compressive strength of 1000
MPa and fracture strain of 0.5% subjected to dead weight loading is designed with four configurations (A, B, and C) that resulted in
a biaxial stress conditions with principal stresses as mentioned below.
Construct the failure envelope following the best suitable theory (taught) and mark the outcome of the four designs in the graph.
Comment on the Designs. [8]

Design A : σ1 = -1000 MPa and σ2 = 200 MPa

Design B : σ1 = 800 MPa and σ2 = 800 MPa
Design C : σ1 = -900 MPa and σ2 = -700 MPa

(Draw a similar figure in the A4 Sheet, mark the scales and plot your answers)

400

300

200

100

-400 -300 -200 -100 100 200 300 400

-100

-200

-300

-400