© SimBAU Last updated:	Failure assessment Components and structures almost always differ from the desired ideal state. Most significant are those deficiencies, which affect the strength or which may even lead to failure. Therefore, those discrepancies or defects must be evaluated in order to determine if they grow and eventually lead to failure during normal operation or in situations of extreme loading. This evaluation is usually performed using the concept of fracture mechanics, whereby the most unfavorable assumption is treating every fault as a sharp crack. From the loads acting on the component and from the crack geometry a crack tip loading parameter is determined. Putting this parameter in relation with the material dependent crack resistance it may be assessed whether an extension of the fault and, hence, an increased risk of failure must be expected. Therefore it is possible to make a judgement about a continued operation and to define suitable inspection intervals.	Links     Aktuelles