The degradation of material by fretting stress corrosion

Abstract

Components subjected to the conjoint action of many service conditions may suffer earlier failure than would occur by the separate but additive action of these service conditions. Scanning of the multiple service conditions revealed that fretting stress corrosion is a material degradation process which has been neglected by engineers and scientists. Fretting stress corrosion may be defined as the degradation of materials by the conjoint action of static stress, corrosion and fretting. A case study of a helical compression spring has been given to demonstrate the fretting stress corrosion process. The spring suffered from premature failure. Its examination by scanning electron microscopy revealed the existence of fretting scars on the outer surface and that fracture has initiated from one of these scars.