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1 Macroscopic Examination
4.1.1 Macrofractography
The signatures of fractures on the fracture surfaces can easily
be lost or obliterated by subsequent damages caused by oxidation
(as in the case of fire or thermal exposures), corrosion, abrasion
due to improper handling, and so forth, and hence, the fracture
surfaces should be carefully handled and preserved. Oil and grease
on the fracture surface can be removed with organic solvents. The
corrosion and oxidation products often hide the true fracture surface
beneath. Fine fissures on the surface of these corrosion products
may sometimes mislead because they do not represent the real
features of the original fracture surface. Mild chemicals such as
acetic acid, phosphoric acid, sulfamic acid, ammonium oxalate,
ammonium citrate, and NaOH, in dilute solutions, and 6N solution
of HCl inhibited with 2g/l hexamethylene tetramine, are available
for the removal of these layers. However, the best method of cleaning
the fracture surface is by a blast of air followed by repeated
cleaning with replicating tape until the tape comes out clean and
free from adhering debris, as described later.
One of the features often revealed by macrofractography is the
origin of fracture. In many instances, the origin is apparent even
to the naked eye. Once a crack is initiated, then during the propagation
of the crack, other features such as radial lines, chevron
marks, and beach marks develop and are left behind.
A ductile tensile fracture in a component of circular cross section
consists of three distinct zones (Fig. 4.1) (Ref 3). The inner
flat zone with a fibrous appearance is where the fracture starts and
grows slowly. The fracture propagates fast along the intermediate
radial zone. The radial lines extended backward point to the fracture
origin. Sometimes the radial lines start from the origin itself.
The fracture finally terminates at the shear lip zone that is the
annular region near the periphery of the fracture surface. The shear