Spaltningshinder

Spaltningshinder is a Swedish term used to describe barriers or measures that prevent spalling, a form of material failure characterized by fragmentation or ejection of surface layers under high tensile stresses or thermal shock. The concept is used across several engineering disciplines where mitigating spalling improves safety and durability. It is not a single standardized term, but a descriptive umbrella for approaches that reduce spalling risk.

In materials engineering, spaltningshinder include introducing compressive surface stresses through processes like shot peening, surface hardening, or protective coatings; selecting materials with higher ductility and spall resistance; and designing components to minimize tensile stress concentrations, for example by adding fillets, increasing thickness, or employing layered structures that absorb impact energy. Thermal management and controlled cooling can also reduce spalling under high-rate heating.

In concrete and civil engineering, spalling occurs under fire exposure, freeze-thaw cycles, or impact. Spaltningshinder encompass mix designs with air-entraining agents, appropriate aggregate selection, polymer-modified or protective coatings, and surface sealers to limit moisture ingress and thermal gradients.

In rock mechanics and mining, barriers to spalling may involve reinforcement strategies such as rock bolts, shotcrete, or steel arches, as well as blasting practices that limit dynamic stress in vulnerable rock masses.

Assessing spaltningshinder often requires dynamic fracture testing, numerical modeling of stress waves, and material characterization of spall strength. The term appears mainly in Swedish-language sources, and its exact meaning can vary by domain; it generally refers to approaches that reduce or prevent spalling to enhance safety and durability.