Development of the SENT Test for Strain-Based Design of Welded Pipelines

Author(s):  
Huang Tang ◽  
Mario Macia ◽  
Karel Minnaar ◽  
Paulo Gioielli ◽  
Sandeep Kibey ◽  
...  

Strain-based design (SBD) pipelines are being considered to develop hydrocarbon resources in severe environments. As part of a research program to develop a SBD methodology, work was conducted to develop a suitable fracture mechanics test that can be used as part of a strain capacity prediction technique. The single edge notched tensile (SENT) specimen geometry has been chosen due to the similarity in crack-tip constraint conditions with that of defects in pipeline girth welds. This paper describes a single-specimen compliance method suitable for measuring ductile fracture resistance in terms of crack tip opening displacement resistance (CTOD-R) curves. The development work included investigation of the following items: specimen geometry, crack geometry and orientation (including crack depth effects), direct measurement of CTOD. The results demonstrate that toughness measurements obtained using a B = W configuration (B = specimen thickness, W = specimen width) with side grooves are similar to those using a B = 2W configuration without side grooves; however, specimens with side grooves and B = W geometry facilitates even crack growth. Studies of crack depth have shown that ductile fracture resistance decreases with increasing ratio of the initial crack depth to specimen width, a0/W. Studies of notch location and orientation (outer diameter (OD) and inner diameter (ID) surface notches and through-thickness notches) have shown an effect of this variable on the CTOD-R curves. This has been partly attributed to crack progression (tearing direction) with respect to weld geometry and this effect is consistent with damage modeling predictions. However the experimentally observed difference of CTOD-R curves between ID and OD notches is believed to be primarily due to the material variability through the pipe thickness.

Author(s):  
Xian-Kui Zhu ◽  
Tom McGaughy ◽  
Fabian Orth ◽  
Jon Jennings

Fracture resistance is an important material property and characterized by a J-integral resistance curve (J-R curve) or a crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) resistance curve. ASTM standard specimens with deep cracks are subject to bending dominant forces, leading to high crack-tip constraint conditions and conservative fracture resistance curves. Actual cracks occurring in line pipes and welds are often shallow ones dominated by tensile forces, resulting in low constraint conditions. Shallow cracks have been shown to generate elevated fracture resistance curves in comparison to standard deep-crack results. To reduce the over-conservatism of standard resistance curves and to produce more realistic toughness properties to meet the needs of strain-based design approaches for pipelines, different procedures and technologies have been developed over the years to determine the low-constraint fracture resistance curves by use of the single edge-notched tension (SENT) specimens. This includes the multiple specimen method developed and standardized by DNV for J-R curve testing, the single specimen method developed by CanMet for J-R and CTOD-R curve testing, and the single-specimen method developed by ExxonMobil for CTOD-R curve testing. This paper delivers a technical review of existing fracture test methods using SENT specimens, and discusses the advantages and limitations of each method.


Author(s):  
M K Samal ◽  
K Balani ◽  
M Seidenfuss ◽  
E Roos

Dissimilar welds impose a challenge to the engineers concerned with the structural integrity assessment of these joints. This is because of the highly inhomogeneous nature of these joints in terms of their microstructure, mechanical, thermal, and fracture properties. Fracture mechanics-based concepts cannot be directly used because of the problems associated with the definition of a suitable crack-tip loading parameter such as J-integral crack tip opening displacement (CTOD), etc. Again, depending upon the location of initial crack (i.e. base, weld, buttering, different interfaces, etc.), further crack propagation can occur in any material. The objective of the current work is to use micro-mechanical models of ductile fracture for initiation and propagation of cracks in the bimetallic welds. The authors have developed a finite element formulation that incorporates the porous plasticity yield function due to Gurson—Tvergaard—Needleman and utilized it here for the analysis. Experiments have been conducted at MPA Stuttgart using single edge-notched bend (SEB) specimens with cracks at different locations of the joint. The micro-mechanical (Gurson) parameters of four different materials (i.e. ferrite, austenite, buttering, and weld) have been determined individually by simulation of fracture resistance behaviour of SEB specimens and comparing the simulated results with those of the experiment. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the damage model in predicting the crack growth in the actual bimetallic-welded specimen, simulation of two SEB specimens (with initial crack at ferrite—buttering and buttering—weld interface) has been carried out. The simulated fracture resistance behaviour compares well with those of the experiment.


Author(s):  
Poh-Sang Lam ◽  
Yil Kim ◽  
Yuh J. Chao

The crack tip opening displacements and angles (CTOD/CTOA) are calculated with finite element method based on the test data of a set of constraint-dependent J-R curves for A285 carbon steel. The values of the CTOD/CTOA are initially high at initiation, but rapidly decrease to a nearly constant value. When the common practice is adopted by using only the constant part of CTOD/CTOA as the fracture criterion, the crack growth behavior is shown to be severely underestimated. However, with a bilinear form of CTOD/CTOA fracture criterion which approximates the initial non-constant portion, the experimental load vs. crack extension curves can be closely predicted. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the CTOD/CTOA is crack tip constraint dependent. The values of CTOD/CTOA for specimens with various ratios of crack length to specimen width (a/W) are reflected by the J-R curves and their slopes.


Author(s):  
Toshiyuki Meshii ◽  
Yusuke Fujita ◽  
Teruhiro Yamaguchi

Fracture toughness Jc of the material in ductile to brittle transition temperature region is known to have two specimen size effects; the planar size effect and the test specimen thickness effect. It was presented that these size effects can be solved by applying modified Richie-Knott-Rice failure criterion in previous research. As a next step, in this study, engineering method to predict the minimum Jc for a specimen type and thickness from only tensile test results is proposed. The method focused on our finding the crack-opening stress σ22, measured at a distance from the crack tip equal to four times the crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) δt, denoted as σ22d, saturated with increasing load, and the J corresponding to the load first reaching this saturated σ22d, denoted as Js, seemed to predict the minimum toughness for a given specimen and material at a specific temperature. The method was validated for 0.5T SE(B) and 1TCT specimen. The material was 0.55% carbon steel JIS 0.55C, which was tested at master curve reference temperature.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Εμμανουήλ-Μάριος Καζασίδης

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή αποσκοπεί στη μελέτη συγκολλήσεων ελασμάτων χάλυβα τύπου ΑΗ-40 FCA (Fatigue Crack Arrester), πάχους 13 mm, οι οποίες πραγματοποιήθηκαν με τη μέθοδο τόξου κοίλου ηλεκτροδίου με πυρήνα μεταλλικής σκόνης (Μetal Cored Arc Welding technique-MCAW). Η συγκεκριμένη μέθοδος συγκόλλησης επιλέχθηκε επειδή συνίσταται σε αυτοματοποιημένες διαδικασίες συγκόλλησης και ιδιαίτερα με πολλαπλά περάσματα καθώς δεν απαιτεί ενδιάμεσο καθαρισμό σκωρίας (σε αντίθεση με την FCAW). Κατά συνέπεια, οι συγκολλήσεις πραγματοποιήθηκαν με χρήση ρομποτικού μηχανισμού προκειμένου να εξασφαλιστεί η επαναληψιμότητα και η ακρίβεια των πειραματικών δοκιμών.Η διαδικασία που ακολουθήθηκε για τη μελέτη των συγκολλήσεων του χάλυβα AH-40 FCA περιλαμβάνει την εκτέλεση προπαρασκευαστικών-διερευνητικών πειραμάτων, τη διαδικασία βελτιστοποίησης ως προς τη μικροδομή και των ιδιοτήτων ένταντι εφελκυστικής φόρτισης, τη μελέτη της δυσθραυστότητας καθώς και την κατασκευή αναλυτικού μοντέλου. Πιο συγκεκριμένα: Aρχικά καθορίστηκε το εύρος των συνθηκών συγκόλλησης. Η σχετική μελέτη πραγματοποιήθηκε μέσω της διεξαγωγής μεμονωμένων στρώσεων μετάλλου στην επιφάνεια των χαλύβδινων ελασμάτων. Τα πειραματικά αποτελέσματα σε συνδυασμό με τη βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση, καθόρισαν το εύρος των εντέλει χρησιμοποιηθησών ρυθμών εισαγωγής θερμότητας (0.5-2.5 kJ/mm με βήμα 0.5 kJ/mm). Στη συνέχεια, η βελτιστοποίηση της συγκόλλησης πραγματοποιήθηκε βάσει των αποτελεσμάτων του μικροδομικού χαρακτηρισμού και των δοκιμών εφελκυσμού εγκαρσίως της διεύθυνσης συγκόλλησης. Σε αυτό το στάδιο τα παρακάτω κριτήρια καθορίστηκαν ως κρίσιμα για την επίτευξη της βέλτιστης συγκολλητής δομής:- Έκταση θερμικά επηρεασμένης ζώνης (η ελαχιστοποίηση του πλάτους της είναι επιθυμητή). Χρήση στερεοσκοπίου.- Ομοιογένεια των μικροδομικών συστατικών μεταξύ της θερμικά επηρεασμένης ζώνης, της ζώνης τήξης και του μετάλλου βάσης (η μέγιστη ομοιογένεια είναι επιθυμητή). Χρήση οπτικής μικροσκοπίας, ηλεκτρονικής μικροσκοπίας σάρωσης.- Κατανομή μικροσκληρομετρήσεων (ομαλή κατανομή είναι επιθυμητή, πλησιέστερη στη τιμή αναφοράς, δηλαδή στη μικροσκληρότητα του μετάλλου βάσης). Χρήση της μεθόδου Vickers.- Όριο διαρροής της συγκόλλησης (επιθυμητή η μεγιστοποίηση του ορίου διαρροής). Δοκιμή εφελκυσμού εγκαρσίως της διεύθυνσης συγκόλλησης- Αντοχή σε εφελκυσμό (επιθυμητή η μεγιστοποίηση της αντοχής). Δοκιμή εφελκυσμού εγκαρσίως της διεύθυνσης συγκόλλησης.-Επιμήκυνση θραύσης ως δείκτης της ολκιμότητας (επιθυμητή η μεγιστοποίησης της επιμήκυνσης). Δοκιμή εφελκυσμού εγκαρσίως της διεύθυνσης συγκόλλησης. Έπειτα, η μελέτη επικεντρώθηκε στη διερεύνηση της βέλτιστης συγκόλλησης και πιο συγκεκριμένα στην περιοχή που παρουσιάζει τη μέγιστη υποβάθμιση των μηχανικών ιδιοτήτων. Σε αυτήν πραγματοποιήθηκαν δοκιμές με χρήση προρωγματωμένων δοκιμίων για τη μέτρηση της δυσθραυστότητας με τις μεθόδους Charpy V-notch και CTOD (Crack tip opening displacement).Παράλληλα με την πειραματική διαδικασία πραγματοποιήθηκε η ανάπτυξη ενός αιτιοκρατικού αναλυτικού μοντέλου το οποίο χρησιμοποιεί ρητές-μαθηματικές εξισώσεις με διττό στόχο: την πρόβλεψη του εμβαδού της περιοχής ενίσχυσης ενός κορδονιού ευθείας ραφής, καθώς και του απαιτούμενου αριθμού κορδονιών σε μία συγκόλληση με πολλαπλά περάσματα. Η αξιοπιστία των προβλεπόμενων αποτελεσμάτων και η επαναληψιμότητα του μοντέλου επιβεβαιώθηκαν πειραματικά.


Author(s):  
Md Ibrahim Kittur ◽  
Krishnaraja G. Kodancha ◽  
C. R. Rajashekar

In this investigation, the variation of J-integral considering Compact Tension (CT) specimen geometry varying a/W and σ using 2D and 3D elasto-plastic Finite Element (FE) analysis have been studied. Further, the investigation has been done to examine the relationship between the J and δ for varied a/W and σ. The plane stress and plane strain elasto-plastic FE analyses have been conducted on the CT specimen with a/W = 0.45–0.65 to extract the J and Crack-tip Opening Displacement (CTOD) values for mild steel. The comparative study of the variation of dn with a/W of mild steel with earlier results of IF steel is carried out. The study clearly infers the effect of yield stress on the variation of the magnitude of dn with reference to a/W ratio. The present analysis infers that while converting the magnitude of the CTOD to J one needs to carefully evaluate the value of dn depending on the material rather than considering it to be unity. Further, the study was extended to experimental and 3D FEA wherein J-integral and CTOD were estimated using the CT specimen. Experimental results reveal that the crack length, the specimen thickness, and the loading configuration have an effect on the fracture toughness measurements. The error analysis between the results obtained by 3D FEA and experimentation were conducted and found to be within limits.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document