Failures of chain systems

Abstract

Chains are used for various purposes in a wide range of industries. This paper describes three case studies where a failure analysis was carried out on chains used in markedly different applications namely: a furnace health, a drilling rig for rock boring and a dragline crane used for removing overburden. The failure mechanisms emphasize the importance of operating the equipment within the original design parameters, and also that material integrity is fundamental to the operational life of a system.