Titanic: Hull Materials & Construction - Get Answers Here!

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the materials used in the construction of the Titanic's hull, including inquiries about specific materials and their properties. Participants explore metallurgical aspects, construction methods, and the implications of these factors on the ship's integrity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks detailed information about the materials used to build the Titanic's hull, specifically requesting a list with descriptions.
  • Another participant shares a link to an article discussing potential metallurgical failures related to the Titanic's hull.
  • A participant recalls that the steel used had high sulfur content, which may have contributed to its brittleness and the mode of failure being brittle fracture.
  • It is suggested that the hull breach was caused by rivets popping out, which allowed steel plates to separate, attributed to both the riveting method and the brittleness of the steel.
  • Discussion includes the historical context of hull damage, noting that ultrasound investigations revealed multiple small tears rather than a single large gash.
  • Participants mention that the steel used in the Titanic was more brittle than modern steel, which would have behaved differently under stress.
  • There is a reference to the method of creating rivet holes, indicating that cold stamping created microscopic cracks that contributed to rivet failure.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints regarding the materials and construction methods, with some agreeing on the brittleness of the steel and the role of rivets in the hull's failure, while others seek further clarification and information. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views and ongoing inquiries.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express difficulty in finding reliable information about the materials, indicating potential limitations in available resources or clarity on the topic.

decibel
Messages
107
Reaction score
1
i'd like to know about the materials that were used to build the hull of the titanic?...i'v googled it,,, but i suck at finding info so bad, can anyone help?
 
Last edited:
Engineering news on Phys.org
great, thanks a lot friend
 
You're welcome. Googling is a matter of deciding what the important key words are. In this case it was easy. "Titanic" alone would be too broad, if that's what you were trying. "Titanic hull" might have worked, but "Titanic hull material" is best since that is specifically what you want to know.
 
hmmm...the actual question says "find out about the materials used to build the hull of the Titanic.Create list with a brief description of each material"

its so hard to find good info about this stuff, maybe someone can help
 
I recall a prof. saying the steel had a high sulfur (sulphur?) content, raising its embrittlement transition temperature. I think the mode of failure was found to be brittle fracture.
 
They now believe that the cause of the hull breach was due to the rivets popping out, thus allowing the steel plates to separate. This was a combination of the riveting method used and the brittleness of the steel due to high sulphur content.

-------
Considerable hullabaloo attended the attempt in the summer of 1996 to raise a piece of the hull from the debris field, but far more interesting was the ultrasound investigation of the area of the bow damaged by the iceberg. These images revealed six small tears or openings affecting the first six compartments. Just as we had surmised in 1986, the great gash was a myth and the actual openings into the ship seem to have been the result of rivets popping and hull plates separating.

http://www.pbs.org/lostliners/titanic.html

-------
•The steel used to construct Titanic was rather brittle. Today's steel would have bent more easily, thus resisting complete failure better than Titanic did. Even for its day, Titanic's hull contained more sulphur than usual, which contributed to its brittleness.

•The point of failure on the hull was at the steel rivets, which, when a 90 degree sheer was applied to them, caused them to pop out like popcorn. The method of creating rivet holes at that time was known as "cold stamping," which involves a cutting machine ramming the steel when it is cold. This process creates microscopic cracks at the hole, which made it that much easier for the rivets to pop loose. Modern rivet holes are made while the steel is still hot, when riveting is used at all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A372584
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yes- recall some mention of rivets too.
 
decibel said:
hmmm...the actual question says "find out about the materials used to build the hull of the Titanic.Create list with a brief description of each material"

its so hard to find good info about this stuff, maybe someone can help
I'm amazed, there is a current forum on the Titanic where you can ask questions about the Titanic and get a real time response.

Go to the message board and ask your questions.

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/index.php
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
5K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
5K