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ML00171 - Feb.2021

Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp

Aspect before cleaning of the heavy U bolt pipe clamp, 38 mm diameter wire, at the fractured position. It is possible to see that it broke in a region where the clamp was no longer coated and there is no insert in the groove (at the internal clamp diameter). The fracture is transverse to the clamp axis.

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Aspect before cleaning of the heavy U clamp, 38 mm diameter , at the fractured position. It is possible to see that it broke in a region where the clamp was no longer coated and there is no insert in the groove (at the internal clamp diameter). The is transverse to the clamp axis.
M

Material

Low Carbon Steel
  • UNS G10200
  • AISI 1020
Ds

Description

Several heavy U clamps broke when operating in the bottom of a cargo oil tank, after several years in service. The metallurgical analysis of one broken clamp showed multiple surface , parallel, transverse to the clamp axis, with a brittle appearance. The protection was clearly not effective since it was detached, mainly where there was a polimeric insert, leading to of the substrate, with propagation of cracks by .

C

Chemistry (% in weight)

Clamp

0.18C; 0.16Si; 0.46Mn; 0.017P; 0.022S; 0.01Cr; 0.01Cu.

Associated Images
Aspect before cleaning of the heavy U bolt pipe clamp, 38 mm diameter wire, at the fractured position. It is possible to see that it broke in a region where the clamp was no longer coated and there is no insert in the groove (at the internal clamp diameter). The fracture is transverse to the clamp axis.
522
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - General View
Aspect of the U bolt clamp with partial detachment of the coating (white brown) in a region where the polimeric insert (dirty white) is still in the wire groove at the internal clamp diameter (ID).
91
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - General View
Detailed aspect of the fractured position, in a region where the clamp was no longer coated and there is no insert in the groove (at the internal clamp diameter). The fracture is transverse to the clamp axis.
86
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Fracture
Same aspect of the previous image after cleaning, showing a subcritical propagation aspect (fatigue), starting at the groove (ID) and also at the clamp surface in the OD.
75
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Fracture
In the region where the polimeric insert was loose, the protective coating of the clamp has suffered detachment.
69
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Layer Detachment
Close to the ID of the clamp, at the groove position, there are cracks in the coating (white brown) and also at the substrate.
63
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Cracks
Detailed aspect of the cracks at the clamp substrate and at the coating.
59
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Cracks
Dye check at the groove in the clamp ID, showing several parallel cracks, transverse to the clamp axis.
51
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect by NDTDf - Cracks
Aspect of the clamp fracture, before cleaning, looking from the outer diameter (OD). The fracture is in a position where there is no coating anymore.
48
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Fracture
Fracture surface aspect at the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the clamp OD, showing different planes of propagation of the fracture.
42
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Fracture
Aspect of the clamp surface showing several parallel cracks, transverse to the wire surface, with a brittle aspect.
42
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Multiple cracks
Detail by scanning electron microscop of the clamp surface showing several cracks, parallel. In this image the cracks appear horizontal, but the photo was taken with the axis of the clamp in the vertical direction which means that the cracks are transverse to the axis.
41
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Surface Aspect by SEMDf - Multiple cracks
Detailed aspect of the previous figure showing the parallel cracks, transverse to the axis.
37
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Surface Aspect by SEMDf - Multiple cracks
Metallographic image of a longitudinal section of the clamp (axis in the vertical direction), showing a refined ferritic perlitic structure.
34
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Longitudinal Section
Metallographic detail of the longitudinal section of the clamp with a ferritic pearlitic structure.
32
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Ferrite and Pearlite
Metallographic detail of the ferritic perlitic structure.
31
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Ferrite and Pearlite
Metallographic aspect of a longitudinal section of the clamp, at the surface (left side of the image) showing a region where there are corrosion pits in the carbon steel clamp, due to the lack of protection by the coating, and the propagation of small transgranular cracks from to the surface.
30
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by OMDf - Crack
Detail by scanning electron microscopy of the pits in the metallographic longitudinal section of the clamp, at the surface (left side of the image). There are cracks emanating from the pits.
27
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by SEMDf - Crack
Detail by scanning electron microscopy of the cracks emanating from the pits in the metallographic longitudinal section of the clamp, at the surface (left side of the image).
25
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by SEMDf - Crack
The clamp presented several cracks, parallel, transverse to the axis. The appearance of the cracks in the metallographic section shows that some cracks propagate and growth with a irregular path.
24
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Longitudinal Section
Metallographic aspect of the cracks showing that several microcracks join from different pits and growth through the section, in a transgranular morphologyy.
26
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Transgranular Cracking
Metallographic aspect of one secondary cracking, paralell to the fracture surface, growthing with an irregular path and transgranular morphologyy.
28
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Transgranular Cracking
Metallographic aspect by scanning electron microscopy of one secondary cracking, paralell to the fracture surface, growthing with an irregular path and transgranular morphologyy.
28
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by SEMDf - Corrosion Cracking
Metallographic aspect of one secondary cracking, paralell to the fracture surface, growthing with an irregular path and transgranular morphologyy. The main crack presents small branching and cleavage propagation with a clear influence of corrosion (hydrogen evoution) .
27
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by SEMDf - Corrosion Cracking
Metallographic aspect of one secondary cracking, paralell to the fracture surface, growthing with an irregular path and transgranular morphologyy. The main crack presents small branching and cleavage propagation with a clear influence of corrosion (hydrogen evoution) .
27
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by SEMDf - Corrosion Cracking
Etched micrograph showing a transgranular crack running across equiaxed ferrite grains with dark grain-boundary carbides.
24
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - As polishedDf - Acicular Alpha
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
4
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Crack
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
4
VIEW
ML00171 / Feb.2021
Corrosion Fatigue of U Bolt Pipe Clamp
M - Low Carbon SteelP - BoltAp - ShipCd - Corrosion Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by SEMDf - Crack