The 1954 De Havilland Comet: A Catastrophic Failure of Material Science (Essay Sample)

Research Essay: Foundation of Metals
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Material science is an area that has had enormous explorations. It typically involves the scientific study of solid materials and discoveries of new materials to make them useful in our daily interactions. It has been a profitable area to explore. However, there have been shortcomings associated with it. Some of these concerns include catastrophic failures resulting from failures in various research fields, which need appropriate corrective actions. One of these catastrophic failures is the 1954 De Havilland Comets Airline Failure.
The 1954 De Havilland Comet was a passenger jet operated by the "British Overseas Airways Corporation." It was the first-ever commercial airliner which was powered by jet engines (Singal et al., 2017). It captured the attention of the world. The jet experienced a fatal crash, which led to the loss of 35 people. It crushed on the 10th of January 1954, off Italy's coast near Elba Island into the sea. The failure created continued issues about material science. The jet suffered from an explosive decompression at a high altitude. After examining the incident, it was revealed that the catastrophic failure was associated with various material shortcomings. After a thorough assessment of its structural integrity, wing failure was ruled out as a possible source. A full-scale fatigue test was conducted on the fuselage, and the cause of the crash was identified as the cracks