Something broke: maybe it’s a fractured component, a corroded pipe, a weld that cracked under load, or a batch of fasteners that failed in ways they simply shouldn’t have. Whatever happened, you need answers. Reliable ones, delivered quickly, with enough detail to prevent it from happening again.
That’s exactly what we do. Our Houston failure analysis lab has investigated thousands of failures across every major industry, from oil and gas pipelines to aerospace components to medical devices. We combine the analytical firepower of a top-tier metallurgical lab with the judgment of PhD engineers who’ve seen it all before — and we report our findings clearly and completely, whether you need a quick email summary or a full expert-level report suitable for litigation.
The metallurgists at US Corrosion have decades of experience in metallurgical failure analysis, usually dealing with corrosion in one way or another. In the failure analysis below, stress corrosion cracks were observed growing into the sensitized grain boundaries of a stainless steel material:
Where can I get an expert witness for a metallurgical failure analysis case?
If you are dealing with a metallurgical failure analysis, US Corrosion can provide valuable expertise as an expert witness. US Corrosion experts are highly trained and experienced in the field of corrosion and metallurgy, and can bring specialized knowledge to your case.
US Corrosion experts perform a detailed analysis of the failed component using advanced techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). This analysis can help identify the root cause of the failure and provide recommendations for preventing future failures.
In addition, US Corrosion experts can provide technical analysis and expert testimony in legal disputes related to metallurgical failure, such as product liability cases or insurance claims. We can help you understand the technical aspects of the case and provide a clear and concise explanation of the failure mechanism, making complex scientific concepts accessible to a non-technical audience.
We have experience working with a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, marine, and oil and gas. This broad expertise allows us to apply their knowledge to a variety of cases and provide customized solutions to meet your specific needs.
Overall, US Corrosion experts can bring significant value to your metallurgical failure analysis case by providing specialized knowledge and expertise, performing detailed analysis, and providing technical analysis and expert testimony. By working with us, you can gain a deeper understanding of the failure mechanism, develop effective strategies for preventing future failures, and make more informed decisions about how to protect your assets and mitigate risks.
What’s included in a failure analysis investigation?
We’ll start with a consultation to determine the scope of the failure and what is needed to investigate it properly. Then we’ll develop a quote with options for turnaround time, the scope of the failure investigation, and different reporting options. Typically, the analysis will include some combination of testing such as:
- Chemical analysis through processes like optical emission spectroscopy (OES), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and x-ray diffraction (XRD),
- Fracture surface analysis in the scanning electron microscope and/or stereo microscope by an experienced metallurgist,
- Mechanical testing to confirm the mechanical properties with tensile testing, charpy impact testing, fracture toughness analysis, and/or hardness testing,
- Non-destructive testing (NDT) to look for cracks, defects, or other indications using x-ray, dye penetrant, ultrasonic, eddy current, and other techniques.
What Is Metallurgical Failure Analysis?
At its core, failure analysis is the process of figuring out why something broke and what to do about it. Sounds simple, but the reality is that most failures aren’t caused by a single obvious problem. They’re the result of multiple interacting factors: material properties, manufacturing conditions, loading history, environment, design choices, and sometimes just bad luck. Other times, failure isn’t a fracture or leak – it’s just performance below expectations, but even that can be dangerous!
A good failure investigation follows the evidence systematically. We start with what we can see: the fracture surface, the corrosion deposits, the geometry of the crack, etc. Then we work backward to understand the sequence of events that may have led to failure. The goal is not just to assign blame; it’s to understand the mechanism well enough that we can actually fix the problem and keep it fixed. Metallurgical failure analysis relies on a toolkit of analytical techniques, and picking the right ones for each case is part of the expertise. The most common tools we use include:
Fractography: the study of fracture surfaces, which tells you a remarkable amount about how a component broke. For example, beach marks indicate fatigue, brittle cleavage facets suggest hydrogen or low-temperature fracture, dimpled rupture means ductile overload. Reading a fracture surface is something you get better at with experience, and our team has looked at thousands of them.
Scanning Electron Microscopy with EDS (SEM/EDS) gives high-magnification imaging of fracture surfaces, corrosion products, and material microstructure, combined with chemical analysis that can identify exactly what deposits or contaminants are present. In a recent case, EDS analysis of a stainless steel fracture surface revealed chlorine concentrations that were causing pitting corrosion. This immediately pointed toward a materials upgrade as the fix, and we helped find the most economical option.
Metallography: cross-sectioning and polishing components to reveal microstructure under an optical or electron microscope — lets us evaluate grain structure, heat treatment condition, weld quality, crack morphology, and much more. We can often tell from the microstructure alone whether a material was properly heat treated, whether a weld was made correctly, or whether a manufacturing defect contributed to failure.
Chemical analysis by optical emission spectroscopy (OES) or X-ray fluorescence (XRF) confirms alloy composition and can flag material mix-ups — which happen more often than most people realize.
FTIR spectroscopy is useful for identifying organic contaminants, coating degradation products, and corrosion byproducts that can’t be characterized by elemental analysis alone.
Hardness and mechanical testing provide direct data on material strength, toughness, and whether a component met its specification.
For hydrogen-related failures — hydrogen embrittlement, sulfide stress cracking, hydrogen-induced cracking — we have specialized testing capabilities and deep expertise built over years of work in oil and gas, fastener manufacturing, and aerospace applications.
Our Process
We keep the process as simple and transparent as possible, because we know the last thing you need is more issues. When a new failure comes in, we start with a thorough visual and photographic examination of the component. We ask you a lot of questions about the application, the operating environment, the history of the part, and what you’ve already observed. This context matters enormously. A crack in a stainless steel pipe means something much different in a chloride-rich coastal environment than in a clean freshwater system.
From there, we plan an analytical program based the evidence. We never run tests just to run tests: every technique we apply helps answer a specific question. As data comes in, we evaluate it and adjust our investigation accordingly. Failure analysis is basically detective work: sometimes the first findings send you in a new direction or even solve the case!
When we have enough information to reach a defensible conclusion, we document our findings and explain what we think happened, what evidence supports that conclusion, and what you can do to prevent recurrence. We work hard to write reports that are technically rigorous and also readable, whether the audience is a fellow engineer or a jury with no metallurgical background at all.
Industries We Serve
Over the years our team has investigated failures in virtually every industry that involves metals:
- Oil and gas: upstream, midstream, and downstream, that’s our home turf. Pipelines, pressure vessels, tubing, downhole components, heat exchangers, process equipment. If it corrodes, cracks, or fractures in the energy sector, we’ve probably seen it.
- Aerospace and defense components require exacting analysis and full documentation trails. We have experience with failure analysis of airframe components, fasteners, landing gear, turbine components, and military equipment.
- Petrochemical and chemical processing present some of the most complex corrosion and stress environments imaginable, with aggressive chemicals, high temperatures, and high pressures all working together to attack materials. We understand these environments well.
- Consumer products and product liability cases require clear communication and the ability to explain technical findings to non-technical audiences. Our team is comfortable in this role and has supported insurers, attorneys, and manufacturers in product liability matters.
- Power generation: boilers, heat exchangers, turbine components, and related infrastructure – which involves failure mechanisms like creep, thermal fatigue, and flow-accelerated corrosion that require specialist knowledge; we have it.
- Medical devices, plumbing systems, automotive and transportation components, and structural elements in buildings and infrastructure round out our experience. If it’s made of metal and it failed, we can help. We’ve seen it all.
Failure Analysis Report Options
We’re flexible on the scope of work — not every situation requires the same depth of investigation, and we’d rather help you get the right answer within your budget than sell you a massive report when a quick one will do.
An email summary is the right choice when you need a fast, informal answer — maybe to decide whether a warranty claim has merit, or to quickly troubleshoot a manufacturing issue. We examine the component, document our findings, and give you a clear answer via email, often within a few days.
A summary report adds a bit more structure and documentation, with a written summary of findings and some discussion of the failure mechanism. It’s a good middle ground for situations that need more than an email but don’t require courtroom-ready documentation.
A full investigation report is a comprehensive scientific document — detailed examination results, analytical data, interpretation, root cause determination, contributing factors, and recommendations. These reports are written to withstand scrutiny from other engineers and, when needed, from opposing experts in litigation. They’re what you want when the stakes are high.
How Much Does Failure Analysis Cost?
Pricing depends heavily on the complexity of the failure and the depth of reporting you need. For a quick email analysis, expect costs in the range of $2,500–$4,500. Full investigation reports typically range from $4,500 on the low end to $20,000 or more for complex, multi-component failures with extensive analytical work and litigation-quality documentation.
We’ll give you a clear estimate before starting and let you know early if the investigation is heading somewhere that will change the cost. We never want you to be surprised by an invoice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between failure analysis and root cause analysis? They’re closely related — root cause analysis (RCA) is often a component of failure analysis, specifically focused on identifying the deepest underlying cause of a problem rather than just its proximate cause. In metallurgical failure analysis, we typically do both: we determine the failure mechanism (how it broke) and the root cause (why it broke), because you need both to actually fix the problem.
Can you analyze failures that happened years ago, or components that are partially destroyed? Often yes. Fractured components, corroded pieces, and even small fragments can yield a surprising amount of useful information. The earlier you get us involved the better — especially if the component may be disturbed, cleaned, or discarded — but we’ve worked with challenging samples many times.
Do you handle litigation and expert witness work? Yes. Our experts provide both written reports and expert witness testimony for metallurgical and corrosion matters. If you’re heading into litigation or already there, we can discuss what’s involved and how we can help.
How fast can you turn around an analysis? Standard turnaround is typically 1–2 weeks for most investigations. We can work faster when needed — contact us to discuss your timeline.
What should I do to preserve a failed component before sending it to you? Don’t clean it, don’t sandblast it. Please: try not to disturb the fracture surfaces. Photograph it thoroughly from multiple angles before packaging (and contact us if you’re not sure what’s the best way to do so). If there are fluids associated with the failure (water, oil, process chemicals), preserve a sample if you can. We’re happy to discuss handling and shipping before you pack anything!
Ready to Get Started?
Contact us today to discuss your failure and get a quote. We’re easy to reach, quick to respond, and we genuinely enjoy this kind of work, which shows in what we deliver.