Failure mode

A material's different failure modes are determined by the various load types.

Failure can be triggered by mechanical, thermal, chemical and tribological operating loads that act individually or as complex loads on the component and cause reactive stresses. A failure is influenced by the progression of the stress and by the material.

Key failure modes include:

• Material fatigue, for example through alternating mechanical loads (dynamic Strength), temperatures, radiation or the action of corrosive media
• Loading due to mostly multiaxial internal stresses superposed with external loads
• Mechanical stress preceded by plastic flow, for example after exceeding the maximum load-carrying capacity or a rupture due to instability (buckling)
• Vibration stress with cyclic deformation which can lead to microsliding and submicroscopic cracks on smooth and notched samples in the high cycle fatigue range, above all close to the surface, and ultimately can lead to technical cracking
• Complex stresses, for example at high temperatures or in corrosive media, which change the material's Toughness over time or destroy its Microstructure
• Wear