Abstract

International audience; The safety of gas transportation pipelines under fatigue loading remains an important issue. The purpose of the present study is to better evaluate the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior by carrying out analysis/predictions and experiments in full-size pipeline steels. A full characterization was made using several samples of an X42 grade pipeline steel, to characterize the monotonic and the fatigue behavior. Fatigue tests on full-scale pipeline steels under pressure loading were performed. The potential drop (PD) method applied to pressurized pipes makes it possible to monitor and quantify both crack initiation and crack propagation. These tests served as a basis for numerical comparison. Crack propagation of the full-size pipeline steel was simulated by finit element analysis (FEA) using an adaptive re-meshing approach implemented as part of the Z-set/Zebulon software. Simulation allows predicting fatigue crack growth life on pipes using results of tests on specimens as an input.

Abstract

Due to external interference, pipelines used for onshore as well as offshore operations can present dent and gouge defects. As such defects can seriously impair facilities’ integrity and performance, it is necessary to evaluate the strains in the vicinity of these defects. The development of non-destructive approaches to assess defects severity remains an issue in the pipeline industry. In the present study, micro-hardness - strain relationships are established for three steel grades of pipeline materials: API X52 modern, API X52 vintage and API X63 vintage. The micro-hardness – strain correlations of the three pipe materials are analyzed in order to verify if they can be described by a master curve. For that purpose, Notched Tensile (NT) tests are performed in Longitudinal (L) and Transverse (T) directions for each grade in order to reach high strain values (up to 70%). The relationship proposed by Tabor was improved with the introduction of three new parameters that allow considering actual material behavior.