In this research, AA7068/Si3N4 composites were fabricated through stir casting with the attachment of ultrasonic treatment. The quenching medium and aging duration significantly influenced the hardness of Al alloy samples. Peak hardness was achieved after 12 h of artificial aging at the temperature of 140°C. The addition of nano Si3N4 significantly refined the microstructure of unreinforced AA7068. The dispersion of intermetallic compounds (MgZn2) and grain boundary discontinuation were noticed after the T-6 heat treatment. Ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and hardness were improved by 70.95%, 76.19%, and 44.33%, respectively, with the addition of 1.5 weight % Si3N4 compared to as-cast alloy due to the combined effect of heat treatment, hall-Petch, Orowan, thermal miss match, load-bearing strengthening mechanisms and uniform dispersion of reinforcement. A reduction in percentage elongation was noticed due to composites’ brittle nature by the effect of ceramic Si3N4 particles’ inclusion. The fracture surfaces reveal ductile failure for alloy and mixed-mode failure in the case of composites.

The paper presents the susceptibility of AE44 magnesium alloy to electrochemical corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The evaluation of the intensity of the interaction of the corrosive environment was carried out using the corrosion tests and the Slow Strain Rate Test (SSRT). Corrosion tests performed in 0.1 M Na2SO4 solution (immersion in solution and under cathodic polarization conditions) revealed that the layer of corrosion products was much thicker after immersion test. The results of SSRT showed that the AE44 alloy deformed in the solution was characterized by higher plasticity compared to the alloy deformed in the air after immersion in solution. Moreover, the fractures were characterized by different morphology. In the case of an alloy deformed in the solution under cathodic polarization many microcracks on the fracture were observed, which were not observed in the case of the alloy deformed in the air.

Cauchy paved the way for constructing models in concrete technology, and elsewhere. He determined the (nonflat) surface area in 3D by measuring random total projections. Analogously, he determined the length of a curved line in 2D by way of measuring the total projections. The paper will present the mathematical expressions, because in many branches of concrete technology, modelling is found based on such Cauchy concepts. These branches – fractography in compression, tension or shear, fibre reinforcement and permeability estimation – will briefly be mentioned to demonstrate this. It has been found that, for the discussed fields of engineering relevance, major model parameters for cementitious materials are similar to those developed by Cauchy in the 19th century. In the paper some previous investigations concerning fractography, fibre reinforcement and fracture roughness will be summarized but basically a new development on porosimetry will be presented. Particularly a new achievement of successful implementation of the methodology (also based on Cauchy) for optimizing permeability estimation will be discussed.

The paper evaluates the causes related to the fatigue damage in a conveyor slide plate, exposed to high-frequency cyclic loads. The plate was made of 1.4301 acid-resistant steel. The fractography showed that the plate failure was caused by fatigue crack. A nonlinear analysis of plate deformation was conducted using the finite element method (FEA) in LS-Dyna software. The maximum normal stresses in the plate fracture were used in further analysis. A “fatigue limit” calculated initially using a FITNET procedure was above the maximum stress calculated using FEA. It indicates that the structural features of the plate were selected correctly. The experimental test results for 1.4301 acid-resistant steel were described using a probabilistic Weibull distribution model. Reliability was determined for the obtained S-N curve at 50% and 5% failure probability allowing for the selected coefficients (cycle asymmetry, roughness, variable load) and the history of cyclic loading. Cumulative damage was determined using the Palmgren-Miner hypothesis. The estimated fatigue life was similar to the actual value determined in the operating conditions for the S-N curve at 5% failure probability. For engineering calculations, the S-N curve at max. 5% failure probability is recommended.

Fractography of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of 20% cold worked Type 304 H stainless steel containing δ-ferrite was studied using a compact tension (CT) specimen in oxidizing primary water with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD). The stress corrosion crack propagated mostly in transgranular stress corrosion cracking (TGSCC) mode and sometimes in intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) mode. TGSCC paths were along the {111} plane with both high resolved shear stress and high resolved tensile stress. IGSCC preferentially propagated along the grain boundary perpendicular to the loading axis. The findings in this work suggest that TGSCC proceeds through formation of a weakening zone at the head of the crack tip by interaction of slip and corrosion and then cracking of the weakened zone by tensile stress.