The danger of brittle fracture is increased when the ductility of steel is reduced by:
- suppression of yield deformations, as may be caused by triaxial stressing;
- the use of relatively thick plates or sections;
- impact loading, i.e. high strain rate;
- cold bending, such that a strain greater than 1 % is induced as a result of fabrication or field straightening;
- detailing that results in severe stress concentrations (notches).