Temperature of Tempering
Specified Temp
1st tempering - 520 - 550ºC
2nd tempering - 530 - 570ºC
Tempered at (1st & 2nd)
380 - 460ºC
( most of the barrels were tempered between
this range prior to 1996)
METALLURGICAL REPORT SUMMARY
FAILED INVESTIGATED CONCLUSION
IMPORTED 30 19 No remarkable metallurgical
deficiency that could lead to
failure
INDIGENOUS 7 7 No metallurgical deficiency.
(T2 - 500C Overload failure
& above)
INDIGENOUS 13 12 a) Temper brittleness due to
(T2 – 460 C low tempering temperature
& below) -(8 Cases)
b) No metallurgical deficiency
(3cases)
-
Salvaging of Low Temperature Tempered
Barrels
Barrels tempered at temp. 401-430ºC be
grouped based on trace elements contents
(As, Sb, Sn, P) , since they play major role in
development of temper brittleness.
• Grouping of Barrels (Sn + Sb + As + P)
• Category A - > 0.025
• Category B - 0.025 % - 0.02 %
• Category C - < 0.02 %
• Category D - <0.02%, but Impact Value Lower
than specified min
on th Drawing.( 2 )
Proposal of DMRL
Effect of Trace Elements
Decisions
Category A - Rejected
Category B - • Re-tempered at 500ºC for 4 hrs
• Each barrel Subjected to high pressure proof
•Two barrels subjected to life cycle proof
Category C - • Initially 3 barrels from first batch of
100 be subjected to life cycle proof
• next 1 barrel from every 100 barrels
subjected to life cycle test
Category D - • Not to be considered now
Barrels tempered below 400ºC not considered
Implementation of the Decision
436 Nos of such barrels were identified
435 Nos analysis of trace elements
completed
Barrels were categorised and confirmed by
rechecking at DMRL as under
A B C D
40 42 347+5* 1
* 5 barrels used for LIFE CYCLE firing
Life Achieved
Barrel EFC Bore Dia(mm)
L/882 304.25 128.15
L/993 303.63 127.60
L/762 304.125128.15
L/868 309.00 128.40
L/1610 312.75 128.13
All the Barrels were brought to CQA
(Metals) for further study of fire crack
growth
Report on Fire Crack Growth
Barrels were parted longitudinally across its
whole length and examined visually for any
abnormality
Discs from various section were cut and extent
of crack depth was measured
Barrel No Max Depth Of
Crack(mm)
L/762 0.39
L/882 0.70
L/933 0.30
L/868 0.42
L/1610 0.34
Evaluation from Fracture
Toughness Point of View
Fracture toughness & critical crack lengths for
failure were calculated
Fracture toughness of few tempered brittle failed
barrels were estimated
Fracture toughness of 4 low temperature
tempered ‘C’ category barrels were estimated
Fracture toughness of Russian barrel was
estimated
Fracture toughness of correctly tempered MSF
barrels were estimated
Calculated KIC Values & Critical
Crack Length
KIC acr Expected Life
(mm) Initial Crack (2mm) Initial Crack (3mm)
85.00 2.63049-
90.00 3.59311338
93.34 5.00192117
95.00 10.73508433
100.00 13.17622547
Where acr is critical crack length
Taking into consideration that life of the barrel is 250
FSAPDS rds or 250 EFC, critical value for fracture
toughness with ultrasonic acceptance standard 2mm
hole size works out to be 95 MNm
-3/2
Tested Value ( KIC )
Russian Failed Barrel - 102
Failed temper brittle (Indian) - 85
MSF (tempered correctly) -
102/113
‘C’ cat barrel - 95/105
This data generally agrees with calculated
values
Data also fairly agree with literature
Failure of T-72
Barrels
Photographs
Barrel No. L/876 – Blown of region of barrel
Barrel No. L / 876 – Small longitudinal crack on inner
surface
Barrel No. L / 876 – Point of initiation of fracture from
the region containing longitudinal crack on inner surface
Barrel No. L / 876 – propagation of fire crack in inter
crystalline mode
Barrel No. L /0199 – Barrel piece in as received condition
Barrel No. L / 0199 – Inter crystalline crack
Barrel No . L / 0199 – Macro Photograph. Presence
of transverse crack inside the wall
Barrel No. L / 0199 – Secondary Inter Crystalline
crack from the main fracture
Barrel No L / 014 – Transverse crack on inner surface of
the barrel piece
Bore
Outer Surface
Barrel No. L / 014 Fracture surface where inside crack
extended to outer surface
Barrel No. L / 014 – Fracture surface away from severed zone
Barrel No. L / 014 – Fracture towards inner
surface where crack progresses transversely
Barrel No. L / 231 – Failed barrel
Barrel No L/231- Some fragments of the barrel
Barrel No. L / 753 – Transverse fracture surface of segments