At the Heart of the Matter
The construction and renovation industry inevitably involves components made of metallic materials such as steel, aluminum, cast iron, and even brass alloys. These components are commonly used and come in the following forms:
- Flexible conduits and rigid pipes
- Beams and Steel Structures
- Welds
- Plumbing Fittings
- Industrial machinery
There are several possible causes for failures affecting these types of parts. Could it be due to poor material quality or design, deterioration, or misuse? How can you tell if you have grounds for a claim?
Corrosion
The total cost of corrosion damage is estimated at several billion dollars per year, and approximately 30% of this could be prevented if best practices were implemented.
This is particularly true for flexible hoses with stainless steel casings installed under sinks. The corrosive environment created by household cleaning products in which these hoses are located causes them to corrode until the strands making up their stainless steel casing completely break.
During the on-site inspection phase, special attention and thorough documentation are required regarding the presence or absence of these household cleaning products with r under sinks. It is through this information that forensic experts can establish a correlation between the chemical components and the results of laboratory analyses performed on the parts. It is then possible to confirm the cause of failure and pursue potential legal recourse.
To this end, in a recent case where water damage was caused by hydrochloric acid fumes that corroded a flexible hose, the Superior Court attributed 75% of the liability to the manufacturer of the product containing the hydrochloric acid in question, while the faucet distributor was held 25% liable.
State-of-the-Art Expertise
At Origin, our experts use optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to achieve high magnifications on metallographic specimens as well as on the fracture surfaces of parts in order to understand and determine the failure mechanism and the presence of defects.
Our team uses metallographic preparation equipment, including cross-sections of parts and polishing, to reveal their microstructure. Spot chemical analyses can also be performed on the parts to determine whether the alloy meets requirements and possesses sufficient physicochemical properties.
Our metallurgy experts can help you identify the cause of a metal part failure that has resulted in damage. Do you have questions? We’re here to assist you!
For more information or to assign us a new project, contact us at info@origin.expert.
We invite you to contact our metallurgy expert, Nicolas Roux-Garcia, at nroux-garcia@origin.expert if you have any questions regarding a case. He will advise you and provide a cost estimate for your project, if needed.