Engineering
Measuring Residual Stress in Welded Pipelines Using Neutron Diffraction
Quick fact
Neutron diffraction can measure residual stresses deep inside a welded steel pipeline—up to several centimeters—without destroying the material, making it one of the few techniques that works on thick, industrial components.
Why this is interesting
You can't see it, but welding leaves hidden forces inside a pipeline that can cause it to fail years later. How do engineers find these invisible stresses without cutting the pipe open?