ABSTRACT
Structures such as bridges, aircraft, and machine components can fail in many different ways. An overloaded structure may experience permanent deformation, which can lead to compromised function or failure of the entire structure. When subjected to millions of small repeated loads, a structure may have a slow growth of surface cracks that can cause material strength degradation and a sudden failure. When a slender structure is loaded in compression, it may undergo an unexpected large deformation and lose its ability to carry loads. Failure analysis plays an important role in improving the safety and reliability of an engineering structure. In this chapter, we will discuss some of the topics related to structural failure analysis. The concepts of static, fatigue, and buckling failures will be introduced, along with examples using ANSYS® Workbench.
