CASE

STUDY
FAILURE ANALYSIS OF A
BRIDGE CRANE SHAFT
By
GAUTHAM SARANG

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS

INTRODUCTION
FAILURE ANALISIS
LOADS INVOLVED IN SHAFTS
TORSIONAL LOAD
BENDING LOAD

FACTORS CAUSING FAILURE IN SHAFTS

Low Radius Of Keyway
Inclusions
Incorrect Repair Welding
Brittle Microstructures
Machining Marks

BRIDGE CRANE AND SHAFT

Power = 3.73 Kw
Shaft Material : Aisi
4340 Steel
Normalized And
Tempered
Failure Mode : Fatigue
Failure

EXPERIMENTAL
PROCEDURE
Chemical Analysis
Optical emission spectroscopy (ARL 3460 advantage

spectrometer)
Visual Inspection
Fractography
Stereoscope (nikon SMZ1000)

Metallographic Analysis
Scanning electron microscopy (jeol jsm-6490lv)
Etchant : 2% nital reagent during 40 s

Hardness Measurements
Micro indentation vickers was used with 10 g during 15

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Visual And Stereography Examination
Fractography
Metallographic Analysis
Hardness Measurements
Chemical Analysis

Visual And Stereography

Examination

General view of the fractured keyway

keyway radius 0.6 mm

shaft diameter 25.4 mm
r/d ratio is 0.024
(Kts) is 2.52

Machining marks influenced in the nucleation of

fatigue cracks

Fractography

SEM fractography : crack initiation region striations

SEM fractography :
striations

Metallographic Analysis

longitudinal section 100x

unetched condition
MnS inclusion average
length 1122 m

unetched conditions
longitudinal section
500x

Microstructure consists of tempered martensite (450x)

Hardness Measurements
microhardness conducted in the central zone

and near the fracture

hardness measurements were similar in both
zones
hardness is inconsistent with the AISI 4340
steel normalized and tempered
similar to the hardness of tempered
martensite at 425C
AISI 4140 steel hardness & tempered at 595
Zone of indentation
Micro HV mean
Standard deviation
to 650 C
Central Zone
288
6.3
Near the Fracture Zone

293

5.8

Chemical Analysis
Absence Of Nickel
Yield strength lower than the AISI 4340 steel
Different response of the material (microstructure)
Favors the diffusion process
Facilitates the formation of ferrite grains at lower
tempering temperatures
Holding times more than AISI 4340.
Material

4140
0.38
(obtained
)

Mn

Si

Ni

Cr

Mo

Cu

0.7
9

0.29

0.02
6

0.01
2

0.0
8

0.83

0.17

0.00
4

0.1
6

4340
0.38 0.6 0.15 0.04 0.03
(expecte

0.8

0
5
Chemical
composition
of
the
shaft
d)
0.43
0.30 Max Max

AISI 4140

1.6 0.7 0.20

5
0.9

material,
AISI
2.0
0.30 4340 and

CONCLUSIONS
Stereography examination presence of beach and ratchet

marks on the fracture surfaceshows striationsall evidence

indicates fractured by fatigue.
The shaft material did not satisfy the chemical composition
standard
Microstructure was not adequate
It has low mechanical properties
Large amount of defects near to the fracture zone.
Length of mns inclusions above critical inclusion size

parameter, which produced a drastic decrease in fatigue life.

Stress concentration factor was higher than recommended
Effect of the keyway width and height variation caused

116.4% increase in the stress concentration factor,

decreasing the fatigue safety factor by 53.4%.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Use adequate materials (guarantee the

chemical composition and microstructure).

Use magnesium or calcium additions in the
steel casting process to obtain better shape
control of the inclusions or use vacuum
melting.
Use the geometry recommended by the
standard keyway to minimize stress
concentration and try to reduce machine
marks.

THANKS