There has been original research measuring the tensile strength of a variety of pattern welded tubes, several contributed by PGCA members
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...hfDxmrNAU/edit
There were possibly 40 pattern welded tubes donated to 'Zircon' without apparent follow through.
There ARE failure analyses, including Ron Graham's report of Sherman Bells ruptured GH Damascus barrels and VH Vulcan Steel barrels, and the PCGA has a copyrighted and unpublished formal metallurgical failure analysis of those barrels.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...K7G9IBs4g/edit
And no "orange lace" from mythical internal corrosion in these freshly cut tubes ready for tensile testing and composition analysis
And this from Mike George, Technical Editor, “ShootingUK”
http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/answers/...us-steel-13767
“In the USA there is one chap who is active on websites who believes that all Damascus steel barrels are so dangerous they should be destroyed.”
http://www.randywakeman.com/WhyYouSh...cusBarrels.htm
“But then you are likely to get piffle like this from a nation that does not have gun barrel proof legislation.”
(Piffle: “pseudo-scientific trivial nonsense, baloney”)
The Birmingham Proof House routinely proves pattern welded barrels. I have no information on the failure rate.