How Liberty Ships Helped Launch Materials Science

During WWII, the U.S. mass-produced Liberty ships using welded steel hulls to speed up construction. But soon, these ships began cracking in half—sometimes while docked or in calm seas.

The cause? Brittle fracture. The cold temperatures, poor-quality steel, and stress from welding caused catastrophic failures. Unlike riveted ships, welded joints introduced new vulnerabilities.

These disasters triggered a wave of investigation, sparking breakthroughs in:

- Fracture mechanics

- Microstructure analysis

- Understanding ductile-to-brittle transitions

The result? The birth of modern materials science—a new field combining physics, chemistry, and engineering to deeply understand and improve materials.