Failure Analysis

A Failure Analysis investigation delivers a written technical report documenting the investigation methodology, all observations and test results, the identified root cause of the failure, the contributing factors, and — where possible — recommendations for preventive action. The report is supported by photographic documentation at all stages, test data, and references to applicable standards. Where accredited tests are performed, the report includes ACCREDIA-accredited test results with full metrological traceability.

Duration depends significantly on the scope of the investigation. A focused analysis involving visual examination, SEM, and metallography may be completed within 2–3 weeks from sample receipt. More comprehensive investigations involving multiple test types, mechanical testing, or chemical analysis typically require 4–6 weeks. Investigations requiring on-site inspection before sampling may require additional lead time. Contact us with a description of the case and we will provide a time and cost estimate.

Yes. For cases where in-situ evidence is important — such as failures in large structures, installed equipment, or assemblies where the failure context must be documented before disassembly — SMT can perform on-site visits and inspections at the client's facility. This phase includes photographic documentation, visual examination, discussion with the client's technical and operational staff, and guidance on sample extraction. On-site inspections are particularly valuable for avoiding the loss of evidence that can occur during component removal.

The more context provided, the more effective the investigation. Useful information includes: the material specification and grade, the component function and its position in the assembly, the operating conditions (loads, temperatures, environment, fluids), the service duration before failure, any maintenance or repair history, the circumstances of the failure (sudden fracture, gradual degradation, discovered during inspection), and any previous failures of the same type. Photographs of the component in its installed condition, before removal, are particularly valuable. SMT can provide a data collection form to guide this process.

Yes. SMT's Failure Analysis reports are structured to support use in legal, insurance, and dispute resolution contexts. The investigation methodology is documented step by step, all findings are supported by photographs and test data, and the conclusions are presented with clear technical justification. Accredited test results included in the report carry the full metrological traceability of ACCREDIA accreditation No. 00588. SMT can also provide expert assistance and technical consultation in support of legal proceedings based on the investigation findings.

Fractography is the examination and characterisation of fracture surfaces. The morphology of a fracture surface carries direct information about the mechanism by which the crack initiated and propagated: ductile overload produces characteristic dimpled surfaces; fatigue produces beach marks and striations; brittle fracture produces cleavage facets; intergranular cracking reveals grain boundary separation. SEM fractography allows these features to be observed at the micron scale, often providing definitive identification of the failure mechanism. It is typically one of the first and most informative steps in a Failure Analysis investigation.

Yes, and this is one of SMT's strongest areas. The laboratory combines Failure Analysis capability (SEM + EDS, metallography, chemical analysis) with a dedicated corrosion testing laboratory accredited for HIC (NACE TM0284), SSC (NACE TM0177, TM0316), pitting and crevice (ASTM G48), intergranular corrosion (ASTM A262, ASTM G28, ISO 3651), and CSCC (ASTM G36). For corrosion-related failures, this means the investigation team can not only characterise the damage mechanism but also perform the relevant standardised corrosion tests to confirm susceptibility or verify specification conformance.

A standard mechanical test report delivers quantitative measurements — tensile strength, hardness, impact energy — against a defined specification, without necessarily addressing the cause of any observed anomaly. Failure Analysis is an investigative service that synthesises evidence from multiple sources — visual examination, fractography, metallography, chemical analysis, and mechanical testing — to reach a technically justified conclusion about the root cause of a specific failure event. The two services are complementary: mechanical testing may be one component of a Failure Analysis, providing quantitative data that contributes to the overall root cause conclusion.

Yes — prevention is one of the primary objectives of any Failure Analysis. Once the root cause is identified, the final report includes recommendations targeted at that specific cause. These may address material selection, specification tightening, process control improvements, design modifications, surface treatment changes, operating condition limits, or inspection and maintenance programme adjustments. SMT can also work with clients on follow-up testing programmes to validate proposed corrective measures.

SMT performs Failure Analysis across a broad range of industrial sectors, including oil and gas (upstream, midstream, refining), energy and power generation, chemical and petrochemical processing, mechanical and plant engineering, automotive and transport, aerospace and defence, infrastructure and construction, and manufacturing. The laboratory's experience with both ferrous and non-ferrous metallic materials, welded structures, and corrosion damage mechanisms makes it applicable across virtually any sector where metallic components are used.