---
_id: '12760'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Various degradation mechanisms can diminish the performance of electrical
    connectors in automobiles over time. It is crucial to gain an in-depth understanding
    of the failure mechanisms and their interactions, as well as to systematically
    analyze the failure mechanisms of connectors, assess their state of health, and
    predict the probability of failure in the future. This work provides a comprehensive
    overview of degradation mechanisms in electrical connectors, including fretting
    corrosion, oxidation, delamination, wear through of the protective coating, stress
    relaxation and plastic deformation. It focuses on mechanisms that contribute to
    increased contact resistance over time and proposes a unified model to explain
    their interactions. The study introduces a structured methodology for assessing
    connector health by outlining key measurement techniques and presenting an efficient
    approach to failure and state analysis that minimizes both testing time and sample
    size. This methodology is supported by analyses of connectors from long-term life
    tests and field-used, field-tested vehicles. Additionally, the study explores
    new aspects of the state analysis for accelerated testing of connectors, supported
    by examples from field-tested vehicles and various test methods, to predict connectors
    lifetime and evaluate the effectiveness of existing testing approaches.
article_number: '109427'
author:
- first_name: Jian
  full_name: Song, Jian
  id: '5297'
  last_name: Song
- first_name: Dirk
  full_name: Hilmert, Dirk
  id: '74212'
  last_name: Hilmert
- first_name: Frederik
  full_name: Kiel, Frederik
  id: '87296'
  last_name: Kiel
citation:
  ama: Song J, Hilmert D, Kiel F. Mechanisms of failure and state analysis of electrical
    connectors in automobiles. <i>Engineering Failure Analysis</i>. 2025;173(5). doi:<a
    href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427">10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427</a>
  apa: Song, J., Hilmert, D., &#38; Kiel, F. (2025). Mechanisms of failure and state
    analysis of electrical connectors in automobiles. <i>Engineering Failure Analysis</i>,
    <i>173</i>(5), Article 109427. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427</a>
  bjps: <b>Song J, Hilmert D and Kiel F</b> (2025) Mechanisms of Failure and State
    Analysis of Electrical Connectors in Automobiles. <i>Engineering Failure Analysis</i>
    <b>173</b>.
  chicago: Song, Jian, Dirk Hilmert, and Frederik Kiel. “Mechanisms of Failure and
    State Analysis of Electrical Connectors in Automobiles.” <i>Engineering Failure
    Analysis</i> 173, no. 5 (2025). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427</a>.
  chicago-de: Song, Jian, Dirk Hilmert und Frederik Kiel. 2025. Mechanisms of failure
    and state analysis of electrical connectors in automobiles. <i>Engineering Failure
    Analysis</i> 173, Nr. 5. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427">10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427</a>,
    .
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Song, Jian</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Hilmert,
    Dirk</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Kiel, Frederik</span>: Mechanisms
    of failure and state analysis of electrical connectors in automobiles. In: <i>Engineering
    Failure Analysis</i> Bd. 173. Amsterdam [u.a.], Elsevier (2025), Nr. 5'
  havard: J. Song, D. Hilmert, F. Kiel, Mechanisms of failure and state analysis of
    electrical connectors in automobiles, Engineering Failure Analysis. 173 (2025).
  ieee: 'J. Song, D. Hilmert, and F. Kiel, “Mechanisms of failure and state analysis
    of electrical connectors in automobiles,” <i>Engineering Failure Analysis</i>,
    vol. 173, no. 5, Art. no. 109427, 2025, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427">10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427</a>.'
  mla: Song, Jian, et al. “Mechanisms of Failure and State Analysis of Electrical
    Connectors in Automobiles.” <i>Engineering Failure Analysis</i>, vol. 173, no.
    5, 109427, 2025, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427</a>.
  short: J. Song, D. Hilmert, F. Kiel, Engineering Failure Analysis 173 (2025).
  ufg: '<b>Song, Jian/Hilmert, Dirk/Kiel, Frederik</b>: Mechanisms of failure and
    state analysis of electrical connectors in automobiles, in: <i>Engineering Failure
    Analysis</i> 173 (2025), H. 5.'
  van: Song J, Hilmert D, Kiel F. Mechanisms of failure and state analysis of electrical
    connectors in automobiles. Engineering Failure Analysis. 2025;173(5).
date_created: 2025-04-04T09:17:03Z
date_updated: 2025-06-25T07:08:31Z
department:
- _id: DEP6012
doi: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2025.109427
external_id:
  isi:
  - '001431374000001'
intvolume: '       173'
isi: '1'
issue: '5'
keyword:
- Combined failure mechanisms
- Combination of analytical methods
- Procedure of analysis
language:
- iso: eng
place: Amsterdam [u.a.]
publication: Engineering Failure Analysis
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1873-1961
  issn:
  - 1350-6307
publication_status: published
publisher: Elsevier
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Mechanisms of failure and state analysis of electrical connectors in automobiles
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 173
year: '2025'
...