Failure in materials and structures could occur due to several reasons such as engineering design failure, static loading or fatigue in the mechanics of materials (Campbell 1). In most cases, it is prevented using fracture prevention methods and frequent material and structure assessments. The cost of fatigue failure in the United States comprises of failure occurrences as well as the fatigue failure prevention strategies. According to the National Bureau of Standards (np), the cost of material failure in the United States is about $19 Billion per year which is 4 % of the country’s gross national product. This cost could be reduced due to several reasons.
The cost of material failure in the United States could be reduced due to the fracture prevention methods. The cost of fracture prevention strategies is part of the cost of the material failure. As long as engineering disasters are prevented, the cost could be decreased. Fracture prevention strategies could save billions of dollars from engineering failures and disasters (National Bureau of Standards np).
Another reason is due to the technological advancements. Most of the cost of material failure in the United States came from transportation and construction industries. With the help of technology, material failure could be prevented and additional costs due to material failure could be avoided. Transportation and construction industry are some of the sectors in the United States which are experiencing progress due to technological advancements (National Bureau of Standards np).
Lastly, through research and development, material fatigue failure could be prevented and its cost could be decreased. One of the objectives of research and development regarding material failure prevention is to reduce the uncertainty associated with the engineering design (National Bureau of Standards np).
Work Cited:
Campbell, F. Fatigue and Fracture – Understanding the Basics. 2012. ASM International. Web. <http://www.asminternational.org/documents/10192/1849770/05361G_Sample.pdf>
National Bureau of Standards. The Economic Effects of Fracture in the United States. 1983. Web. <https://archive.org/stream/economiceffectso6471reed/economiceffectso6471reed_djvu.txt>
