Course Description
Learn a foundational introduction to fractography
Fractography is a vital tool for identifying the causes and mechanisms of fracture in ceramics and glasses. It serves as a critical link between processing methods and mechanical testing results in research and development, and it plays a central role in the design and reliability evaluation of these inherently brittle materials.
This course provides a foundational introduction to fractography, covering key concepts such as common fracture surface features, typical fracture origins, and the tools and techniques used in fractographic analysis. Participants will also explore the application of fracture mechanics, principles of quantitative fractography, and how fractographic data contributes to Weibull analysis. No prior experience or background in fractography is required.
Please note that, due to the course format, while participants will engage in a limited amount of hands-on examinations of fracture features, microscopes will not be used.
Course Format
7 hours of instruction with lunch break | In-person at the ACerS Spring Meeting
- Introduction: What is Fractography? Why is it important?
- Equipment and tools
- General examination process and fracture patterns
- Examining the fracture surface: tell-tale features
- Common fracture origins in ceramics and glasses
- The role of fracture mechanics in fractography
- Quantitative fractography
- Weibull analysis and strength-size scaling
Location
Hyatt Regency Bellevue on Seattle’s Eastside
900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Registration Pricing
- Nonmember: $495
- Member: $395
*Employees of ACerS Corporate Partners receive the discounted Individual Member rate. Sapphire Corporate Partners receive an additional 20% discount; Diamond Corporate Partners receive an additional 30% discount. Please contact Customer Service or 614-890-4700 to register employees at the discounted Corporate Partner rates.
Jeffrey Swab, Ph.D.
Dr. Jeffrey Swab is the owner of Swab Consulting LLC, a specialized testing and consulting firm focused on fracture analysis and room-temperature mechanical property testing of advanced ceramics and glasses.
He earned a B.S. in ceramic science and engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, and both an M.S. and Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Stony Brook University (SUNY), respectively.
Before founding Swab Consulting, Dr. Swab served as a ceramic research engineer with the U.S. Army for over 41 years. His research emphasized the relationships between microstructure, processing, and mechanical properties in ceramics used in armor systems, gun barrels, diesel and gas turbine engines, as well as glasses for transparent armor applications.
An internationally recognized expert in the fracture analysis of advanced ceramics, Dr. Swab co-instructs the annual course “Fracture Analysis and Failure Prevention of Glasses and Ceramics.” He has received numerous commendations for his civilian service with the Army and is a Fellow of The American Ceramic Society. He also serves as an associate editor of the International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology.
