What Caused Titanic To Sink?

Initial Theories and Discoveries

• The widely accepted theory from 1912 to 1985 was that an iceberg ripped open a 300-foot-long gash in the Titanic’s hull.
• The discovery of the wreck in 1985, which showed the ship torn in two, led to new speculations and theories.

Material Failures

• Early theories focused on material failures such as brittle steel and weak rivets.
• Metallurgical analysis of the rivets suggested that substandard materials might have been used, but this theory faced criticism due to lack of conclusive evidence.

Scientific Investigations

• Various scientific methods and experiments were conducted to test the strength and behaviour of the materials used in Titanic’s construction.
• Experiments showed that the steel and iron rivets used were not as weak as previously thought.

Grounding Theory

• The author supports the theory that Titanic briefly grounded on the iceberg, based on survivor accounts and his own experience.
• Experiments conducted to replicate the conditions of the collision showed that the rivets and seams could withstand significant stress without failing completely.

Contributing Factors

• The article suggests that a combination of factors, including the design of the ship and the conditions at the time of the collision, contributed to the sinking.
• The reinforcing strap applied to the hull may have created stress points that led to the failure of the rivets.

Conclusion

• The author concludes that while material failures played a role, the primary cause of the sinking was the collision with the iceberg.
• The exact nature of the damage and the sequence of events leading to the sinking remain subjects of ongoing investigation and debate.