ABSTRACT
Some important structural projects have proved inordinately expensive because of the untimely arrival of corrosion, due to the selection of an inadequate painting system. Brittle fracture of steel is most likely to occur where there is triaxial stress. In fact, any solid material can be made to fail in a brittle fashion by application of a suitable triaxial loading system. Steelwork can be designed against brittle fracture by ensuring that welded joints impart low restraint to plate. The application of cyclic load to a structural member or connection can result in failure much lower than yield. Fatigue calculations are usually carried out for the design of structures such as railway bridges, supports for large rotating equipment and supports for large open structures subject to wind oscillation. The main area of interest for the structural engineer is the stress corrosion of offshore structures and special structures exposed to aggressive chemical surroundings.
