Preface

Welcome to the 2024 edition of ASM Handbook, Volume 12, Fractography.

The new edition of Volume 12 builds upon a long history of ASM’s leadership in failure analysis and fractography. The subject of fractography was first addressed in 1974 in ASM International’s Metals Handbook^® series. Volume 9 of the Metals Handbook, 8th Edition, Fractography and Atlas of Fractographs, provided a comprehensive treatment of what was a relatively new body of knowledge. The emergence of the transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope allowed for a more detailed study of fractures. Since then, advances in photography, stereomicroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy have improved the quality of images and the analysis of fractures, leading to the publication of ASM Handbook, Volume 12, Fractography, in 1987.

The new edition of ASM Handbook, Volume 12, Fractography represents a total reorganization from its 1987 predecessor. Topics about fractography and articles dedicated to the different types of materials utilized in the engineering world are provided in this Volume. It features 28 completely new articles that include over 600 new fractographs. References and sources for further information are provided throughout.

The new Volume 12 consists of five divisions: Introduction to Fractography, Types and Appearances of Fracture, Fracture Examination, Fractography of Metals and Alloys, and Fractography of Nonmetallic Engineering Materials. The first division consists of three articles that explore the history of fractography, the role of fractography in failure analysis, and the fractography of ancient metallic artifacts. Division 2 consists of five articles that review the appearance of fractures on the macroscale and microscale. The third division consists of ten articles that focus on the examination of fractured parts and specimen preparation. Divisions 4 and 5 present twelve and four articles that delve into the fractography of specific metallic and nonmetallic materials, respectively.

Volume 12, Fractography, is intended to be used in conjunction with ASM Handbook, Volume 11, Failure Analysis and Prevention; Volume 11A, Analysis and Prevention of Component and Equipment Failures; and Volume 11B, Characterization and Failure Analysis of Plastics.

In another phase of the reorganization of the 1987 edition of Volume 12, the new Volume 12 will be complemented with a companion publication of Volume 12A, Atlas of Fractographs, an entire volume devoted to fractographic images of engineering materials, which represents a significant increase in the number of fractographs compared with the 1987 edition.

Although ASM has dedicated a volume to the subject of fractography, it should not be thought of as a standalone discipline. Fractography is one step in the failure analysis process, albeit a very important, arguably crucial, step in that process. Furthermore, the subject of failure analysis should not be thought of strictly as a materials engineering discipline. Stress analysis, design, manufacturing, quality, etc., which all have their own disciplines in such fields as mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, quality engineering, etc., play an important role in determining a true root cause of failure.

From a materials engineering perspective, however, fractography plays a crucial role in understanding the mechanism of a failure, the contributing factors, the cause of failure, and potential preventive actions. Other steps in the failure analysis process, however, can also help the analyst to understand how a component can fracture. For example, the microstructure of a component can have a profound influence on how the part fractures. An annealed microstructure can cause a part to fail in a ductile manner, while a carburized steel microstructure can cause the part to fracture in an intergranular manner, even under cyclic stress and fatigue-related cracking. Features such as delta ferrite stringers in martensitic stainless steel, for example, can greatly reduce the toughness of a component and create unexpected brittle fractures. In other words, fractography alone should not be relied upon to answer the question: How did this part fail?

As with all volumes of the ASM Handbook series, Volume 12 reflects the efforts of many people. The authors, technical reviewers, and editors volunteer their time and share their expertise to make this Volume and all of the volumes in the ASM Handbook series valuable assets. These volumes can be found in libraries, laboratories, offices, and homes throughout the world and are valued by materials experts and other technical disciples as a reliable source of information, instruction, and training. The ASM Handbook series has helped to build the careers of countless engineering professionals.

The names of the authors, reviewers, editors, and ASM staff are acknowledged individually elsewhere in this Volume and are too numerous to list here. However, ASM staff members Amy Nolan and Steven Lampman deserve special mention for their unflagging commitment to this project.

It was an enjoyable and rewarding experience to work with all who were involved. The commitment and dedication shown by the authors and subject matter experts to share their knowledge with the engineering community is inspiring. On behalf of ASM International and the readers of this Volume, we express our appreciation to all for the time and effort expended. Many of the contributors have established international reputations in their respective fields. It is our hope that this Volume will provide great knowledge and serve as a continual source of reference for those striving to understand the fractography of materials.