BS 7910, guide to methods for assessing the acceptability of flaws in metallic structures, is a

British Standard British Standards (BS) are the standards produced by the BSI Group which is incorporated under a royal charter and which is formally designated as the national standards body (NSB) for the UK. The BSI Group produces British Standards under th ...

code of practice for the assessment of flaws ( weld defects in particular) using

fracture mechanics Fracture mechanics is the field of mechanics concerned with the study of the propagation of cracks in materials. It uses methods of analytical solid mechanics to calculate the driving force on a crack and those of experimental solid mechanics t ...

principles. The technique is also referred to as an engineering critical assessment (ECA) or

damage tolerance In engineering, damage tolerance is a property of a structure relating to its ability to sustain defects safely until repair can be effected. The approach to engineering design to account for damage tolerance is based on the assumption that flaws ...

, and is complementary to other methods of weld quality assurance. The standard was first introduced in 1980 as a fracture and fatigue assessment procedure, when it was known as PD 6493. Its name was changed to BS 7910 following a revision in 1999. The standard has undergone numerous subsequent revisions, the most recent being in December 2019. Flaws (such as fabrication cracks,

fatigue Fatigue is a state of tiredness (which is not sleepiness), exhaustion or loss of energy. It is a signs and symptoms, symptom of any of various diseases; it is not a disease in itself. Fatigue (in the medical sense) is sometimes associated wit ...

cracks, creep cracks and

corrosion Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...

damage) can arise during the manufacture and use of metallic components. For safety-critical items such as

aircraft An aircraft ( aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, i ...

pipelines A pipeline is a system of pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than of pipeline in 120 countries around the world. The Un ...

and

pressure vessel A pressure vessel is a container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure. Construction methods and materials may be chosen to suit the pressure application, and will depend on the size o ...

s, the failure of a single component due to the presence of a flaw can threaten human life, as well as having severe economic and environmental consequences. Other flaws may be harmless, as they will not lead to failure during the lifetime of the component. Replacement or repair of such flaws is economically wasteful. A fitness-for-service procedure such as BS 7910 allows flaws to be evaluated consistently and objectively, using fracture mechanics principles.

References

External links

BSI Group
07910 {{Britain-stub