The thermal and elastic properties of eight cast-irons 1

Abstract

This paper concerns an investigation, made on behalf of the British Shipbuilding Research Association, of the mechanical and thermal properties of eight different cast-irons. At the present time all these irons are considered suitable material for combustion-chamber parts of marine diesel engines.

It was hoped that a thorough investigation of the various material properties would enable use to be made of the Eichelberg “quality factor”, which is a theoretical expression designed to discriminate between “good” and “bad” materials when subjected to temperature gradients, as in an engine. However, the application of the quality-factor expression (even though suitably modified) was strictly limited, and in cases where it was applicable the distinction obtained between materials was not sufficiently definite to allow its use as a reliable indicator. This led to the conclusion that further purely theoretical work on the problem would be unlikely to yield useful results.