Which structural problem increased the risk of catastrophic naval ship failures during the early ironclad era?

💡 Explanation

When ironclads experienced rapid temperature changes, brittle fracture occurred because early iron lacked ductility and was prone to crack propagation initiated by casting flaws or stress points, threatening structural integrity. Therefore brittle fracture risk increased markedly, rather than corrosion, erosion, or weld problems, which involve different material properties or stresses.

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