Non-Destructive Material Identification on Crossrail Project
The Forensic Engineering and Materials team recently carried out a metallurgical investigation as part of the Crossrail programme in London.
The investigation was required to determine the material type of a 450mm water main outside Liverpool St station. Existing plans stated conflicting information as to the material type. If the main was found to be brittle cast iron then piling operations would need to be halted and an expensive and time consuming water main rerouting programme would have been required.
On-site, non-destructive metallurgical replication was carried out to determine the material type. This involved polishing a small area (25mm2) to a one micron finish to allow microstructural assessment. The test was completed quickly and the pipe was found to be low carbon-manganese steel; relatively ductile steel compared to the suspected cast iron, saving the Crossrail programme time and money.
ESR Technology is able to perform on-site replication, hardness testing, surface roughness profiling and chemical analysis to identify material types, defects and degradation of steels.
For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 01925 843 428.