Mar 5, 18:00 - 21:00 (MT)
2025-2026 CHARLES S. BARRETT SILVER MEDAL and LECTURE
Prof. David Matlock University Emeritus Professor, G.S. Ansell Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Colorado School of Mines
" Learning from the Past: Perspectives on Failure Analyses with an Emphasis on Fatigue "
ABSTRACT
As evidenced by a significant number of catastrophic failures, including the recent UPS plane crash, the need to properly evaluate past failures remains important to our overall understanding of engineering systems. The concept of "failure" is central to understanding engineering principles, and failure assessments may come from common-sense knowledge gained via life’s experiences or through formal educational programs. For example, fatigue failures have been considered in multiple investigations since the mid-1800’s when several railroad axle failures led to major accidents in Europe. The realization that metals could fail at applied loads or stress levels less than required to cause permanent deformation, i.e. less than the yield stress, provided impetus for investigations to determine the root cause of the failures as well as to identify methods (e.g. via equipment design or material property improvements) to eliminate, or at least minimize, the susceptibility to fatigue fractures in operating equipment. Even though extensive research has advanced our fundamental understanding of fracture and fatigue mechanisms, failures continue to occur. In this presentation, analyses of selected failures, with an emphasis on fatigue failures, are considered. Perspectives garnered from the author’s career are highlighted to illustrate interrelationships between common-sense knowledge and fundamental engineering principles.
BIOGRAPHY
Prof. Matlock received his B.S. degree in engineering science from the University of Texas at Austin (1968), and his M.S. (1970) and Ph.D. (1972) degrees in materials science and engineering from Stanford University. He joined the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) faculty in 1972 as an assistant professor in the George S. Ansell Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. From 1981 until his retirement in 2013, he held the Armco Foundation Fogarty Professorship and is currently a University Emeritus Professor at CSM. At CSM he was actively involved in research and teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, primarily related to the mechanical properties of materials, failure analysis, fatigue, and fracture. He is one of the co-founders of the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center, an industry-university cooperative research center established at CSM in 1984. He served as Center Director from 1993 until his retirement in May 2013. In retirement he continues to be an active participant in all Center operations. Prof. Matlock, a registered professional engineer in Colorado, is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of several professional societies including ASM International, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), American Welding Society (AWS), Alpha Sigma Mu, and the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST); in 2008, he was named as an honorary member of AIME. In his 53-year career at CSM, his teaching and research contributions have led to awards from CSM and professional societies including ASM, AISI, TMS, ISS, AIST, AWS, SAE, International Metallographic Society (IMS), Wire Association, and the American Nuclear Society. He has authored or co-authored over 490 technical publications, mostly related to mechanical properties and steels.
Approximate Schedule:
Check-in Time: 6:00 to 6:30 pm
Buffett Dinner: 6:30 pm
Program: to follow dinner
Golden, CO, United States