Abstract
An accurate estimate of the tensile strain capacity of flawed girth welds is essential for the safe use of pipelines in harsh environments. Current strain-based flaw assessments neglect the unavoidable presence of strength heterogeneity between two connected pipes. This paper describes and quantifies the resulting effects on strain capacity. A theoretical framework predicts a remarkable sensitivity, which depends on the failure location (whether in the weld or base metal). A finite element study critically validates the predicted results. Probabilistic analysis reveals that pipe steel heterogeneity should be taken into account to allow for accurate evaluations of tensile strain capacity.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 172-189 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Engineering Fracture Mechanics |
Volume | 115 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2014 |
Keywords
- Girth weld
- Heterogeneity
- Strain based design
- Strain capacity
- Weld flaw