Case 1020 ยท Public preview
Fracture Morphology Separates Fatigue from Innocent Surface Marks
A small wire strut fractured, and a nearby surface groove was initially a plausible initiation site.
SEMSecondary-electron imagingBackscattered-electron imagingFractographyOpposing-fracture comparisonControl-sample examination
What the evidence preview establishes
The wire failed by fatigue followed by tensile rupture of the remaining cross-section. The apparent fatigue origin was separate from the nearby surface groove, and the final region displayed ductile dimple morphology.
Why this case matters
Interpret both mating fracture surfaces before assigning a cause. A nearby groove can be visually compelling yet incidental when crack-propagation markings locate the origin elsewhere.
Full evidence reserved for MEMBER and STOREThe complete case includes the evidence sequence, four interpreted figures, alternative explanations, limitations, and practical application guidance.