On the 29th of December, 1999, a component of a dry pipe fire sprinkler circuit failed, releasing several thousand gallons

of water into one of the living areas of an assisted living community. The system had been pressurized on 12/26/99 The system had been pressure tested at 200 psi for 2 hours in September of 1999.

3/4x3/4x1/2 reducing tee

mounted specimen prepared by EFI for metallurgical analysis

Fracture origin located in area of smallest wall thickness of the casting

Another perspective of fractured fitting

Note that nearly half the fitting has been lost

origin

 Note change in orientation of the fracture surface with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fitting Cracks always propagate in directions perpendicular to a tensile stress

metallurgical specimen

Specimen containing origin of the fracture Note location of origin and texture of casting walls and fracture surface

cover letter to EFI report

brittle fracture of casting manufacturing defect brittle surface layer

Body of EFI report page 1

Note that analysis of failure accomplished using SEM inspection along with microstructural characterization and hardness testing

 Body of EFI report page 2

ID of material Variation in microstructure

Hardness measurements Conclusion contains critical element:

Plaintiff required to associate defect with causation of failure but is the relationship valid?

microstructure from EFI specimen 150x, nital etch graphite flakes

pearlite matrix

SEM photomicrograph, 115x

location of fracture origin pinpointed by chevron pattern

note casting porosity

graphite flakes

graphite rosette

porosity

Bottom of section containing fracture surface and origin note cavities in cross section

SEM photomicrograph at 20x, 100x, 2100x

Nominal hardness for a Class 30 graphitic cast iron = ~ 95 RB