Introduction to structural integrity

This course aims to teach students about engineering for safe design, component failure, and environmental deterioration. By the end of the course, learners will be able to identify corrosion processes, understand stress corrosion cracking, and analyze case studies like the Silver Bridge disaster. The teaching method includes lectures, case studies, and simulated environmental tests. This course is intended for individuals interested in structural integrity, engineering, or materials science.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 Engineering for purpose
• 1 Engineering for purpose
• 1.1 Safe design
• 1.2 Component failure
• 1.3 Environmental factors
• 2 Environmental deterioration
• 2 Environmental deterioration
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Degradation, dissolution and corrosion
• 2.3 Corrosion processes
• 2.4 Corrosion processes: galvanic corrosion
• 2.5 Corrosion processes: galvanic series
• 2.6 Corrosion in stressed products – stress corrosion cracking (SCC)
• 2.6.1 Stress corrosion cracking in stainless-steel structures
• 2.6.2 Cracking of copper alloys
• 2.6.3 Boiler explosions
• 3 Case study: The Silver Bridge
• 3 Case study: The Silver Bridge
• 3.1 Background information
• 3.2 The disaster
• 3.3 The investigation
• 3.3.1 Sequence of events
• 3.3.2 Planning the investigation
• 3.3.3 Reassembling the parts
• 3.3.4 Examining the parts
• 3.4 Analysis of eye bar 330
• 3.4.1 Fracture surface
• 3.4.2 Analysis of the eye-bar steel
• 3.4.3 Simulated environmental tests
• 3.4.4 Stress concentration at joint
• 3.4.5 Fretting fatigue
• 3.4.6 Residual stress
• 3.5 Design of the bridge
• 3.6 Failure sequence
• 3.7 Aftermath
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgements