Question:medium

Solidification cracking occurs due to

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Remember:
- Hot cracking (Solidification cracking) occurs at high temperatures, is intergranular, and is caused by segregation + tensile stresses.
- Cold cracking occurs at low temperatures (typically below 150\(^{\circ}\)C), is transgranular, and is caused by hydrogen embrittlement + martensitic microstructure + tensile stresses.
Updated On: Jul 3, 2026
  • cold working
  • low temperature
  • grain growth
  • segregation and tensile stress
Show Solution

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Near the very end of freezing, the last bit of liquid left between grains is enriched with the impurities and alloying elements that got pushed out ahead of the growing solid, so it stays molten at a lower temperature than the surrounding metal. This thin liquid film has essentially no strength. If the casting or weld is shrinking and cooling at that moment while being restrained, it pulls the grains apart across that weak film because there is nothing to resist the tension there. So it takes both the segregated low melting film and a pulling stress at the same time to tear the metal, which points to option (D), segregation together with tensile stress.
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