Which mechanism caused large bronze cannons in the 17th century to occasionally explode during firing?

💡 Explanation

When a cannon fired repeatedly, progressive crack growth (fatigue) occurred due to the fluctuating pressure stresses during each shot, initiating micro-cracks that propagated over time weakening the barrel. Therefore progressive crack growth results rather than thermal shock, creep or galvanic corrosion, which are less significant under those loading conditions.

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