Back to Low Alloy Medium Carbon QT
ML00130 - Jun.2018

Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts

The corrosion marks in the thread surface indicate that the bolt was not properly tightened in the tapped hole. The length of thread engagement should be at least 1x of the bolt diameter, in this case 3/8".

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The marks in the thread surface indicate that the was not properly tightened in the tapped hole. The length of thread engagement should be at least 1x of the diameter, in this case 3/8".
M

Material

Low Alloy Medium Carbon QT
  • ASTM A 449 Type 1
  • ISO 898-1 class 8.8
Ds

Description

Four 8.8 were operating in a and have fractured by a mechanism after a short time in service. The occurred very close to the end of the bolt, tightened in a tapped hole, suggesting that the recommended length of thread engagment, minimum of 1 x diameter, was not followed. Also, there were indications of the threads (ductile in fillets adjacent to the fracture) that could be responsible for relaxing the preload and promoting the fatigue mechanism.

C

Chemistry (% in weight)

Bolt analysis

0.37C; 0.19Si; 0.96Mn; 0.017P; 0.020S; 0.32Cr; 0.01Ni; 0.03Mo; 0.22Cu.

Associated Images
Aspect of the bolt fracture surface by scanning electron microscopy, (SEM) presenting striations that indicate a FATIGUE micromechanism. The bolt is of a medium strength (class 8.8) low alloy steel, medium carbon, quenched and tempered.
1123
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Fatigue Fracture
The four bolts have fractured in the same position, close to the end, and the corrosion marks in the thread suggest that they have been tightened only a few fillets in a tapped hole. This condition could be responsible for overloading the fillets, relaxing the applied bolt preload, and intensifying cyclic stresses.
192
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - General View
The corrosion marks in the thread surface indicate that the bolt was not properly tightened in the tapped hole. The length of thread engagement should be at least 1x of the bolt diameter, in this case 3/8".
170
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - General View
Macroscopic aspect of the bolt fracture. Part of it is flat from the bottom of the thread.
166
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Fracture
The head of the bolts presented the marks that indicated they were manufactured to meet ASTM A449 type 1 bolt, that is a medium strength low alloy steel, quenched and tempered.
148
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - At the Surface
Aspect of the fracture surface in low magnification, showing a flat aspect (associated to a fatigue fracture micromechanims) and a rough aspect (associated to a ductile fracture micromechanism).
167
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - General View
Aspect of the fracture surface by scanning electron microscopy, presenting fatigue striations micromechanism. The bolt is a medium strength low alloy steel, medium carbon, quenched and tempered.
154
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Fatigue Fracture
Detailed fractographic aspect of the flat part of the bolt fracture, presenting fatigue striations. The bolt is a medium strength low alloy steel, medium carbon, quenched and tempered.
141
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Fatigue Fracture
Fractographic detailed aspect of the rough part of the fracture surface, presenting ductile dimples. This is the final fracture, by overload.
137
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Ductile Fracture
Micrographic aspect of the rolled thread that was heat treated later. Longitudinal section.
134
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - At the Surface
Micrographic aspect of the rolled thread that was heat treated later. Longitudinal section. The bolt was quenched and tempered to 30HRc and presented a martensitic structure.
124
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - At the Surface
Micrographic detail of the rolled thread that was heat treated later. The bolt was quenched and tempered to 30 HRc and presented a martensitic structure.
111
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Martensite
The microstructure of the bolt is martensitic in the center of the thickness. Longitudinal section.
110
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - In the Center of the Thickness
The microstructure of the bolt is martensitic in the center of the thickness. Longitudinal section.
103
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Martensite
Micrographic aspect of the rolled thread that was heat treated later. Longitudinal section.
115
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - At the Surface
The fracture of the bolt occurred associated to the bottom of the thread. Compare this photo with the previous one to understand where the fracture started.
115
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Longitudinal Section
Micrography of a longitudinal section, at the fillet that was tightened (to the end of the bolt) adjacent to the fracture. The cracking is typical of localized overloading, probably because it was only partially tightened in the tapped hole.
104
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Crack
Micrographic detail of the cracking adjacent to the fracture. It is a secondary cracking that was created by overloading and was propagating by fatigue.
90
VIEW
ML00130 / Jun.2018
Fatigue Fracture of Overloaded Bolts
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - FastenerAp - O&G Well DrillingCd - Mechanical Fatigue
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Crack