Mechanical Failure, Definition of the Problem: Proceedings of the 20th Meeting of the Mechanical Failures Prevention Group, Held at the National . D. C., May 8-10, 1974 (Classic Reprint)

Understand how and why things fail—and how to prevent it. This book presents a broad view of mechanical failures, from small everyday items to large structures, and why preventing them matters for safety and economy.

Written as a guide to the problem, the volume frames three core aspects: the modes of failure, the consequences, and the actions engineers take to reduce risk. It highlights the dominant failure modes—fatigue, stress corrosion, and brittle fracture—and explains why design methods lag behind these challenges. The work also surveys wear, lubrication, and surface interactions that arise as components move against each other, along with non-destructive evaluation methods used to detect problems.

Readers will find practical insights into how industries apply tribology to save money and improve reliability. The material covers safety considerations in public life, economic impacts, and real-world examples where better design and maintenance reduced outages and failures.

• Major failure modes and why they occur, with explanations suitable for quick understanding.


• How lubrication, coatings, and surface interactions help prevent wear and damage.


• Practical, field-focused insights on measurement, inspection, and maintenance.


• Industrial and public-safety implications, plus how education and training support prevention.

Ideal for engineers, technicians, students, and professionals working to improve reliability and safety across industries.