Full-Scale Fatigue Testing of Crack-in-Dent and Framework Development for Life Prediction

Author(s):  
Udayasankar Arumugam ◽  
Ming Gao ◽  
Ravi Krishnamurthy ◽  
Mures Zarea

Abstract Dents containing crack fields (colonies) were often observed in liquid pipelines. A recent PRCI research “Study of the Mechanism for Cracking in Dents in a Crude Oil Pipeline” showed evidence of corrosion fatigue cracking mechanism in dents and estimated the crack growth rate as a function of stress intensity factor using the measured spacings of fatigue striations from fracture surfaces based on the assumption that the formation of fatigue striations on a cycle-by-cycle basis. However, due to the lack of full-scale fatigue crack growth data, the success was limited in this study. This gap prompted PRCI to launch a full-scale experimental investigation of cracks-indents under cyclic pressure load in the simulated groundwater (NS4 solution) environment. The objective of the study is to determine the crack growth rate in dent as a function of stress intensity factor, the number of cycles to failure, and the failure modes of crack-in-dent. The investigation is aimed at establishing a framework for the remaining fatigue life prediction of cracks-in-dents in liquid pipelines. This framework would benefit liquid pipeline operators to manage the integrity of dents associated with corrosion fatigue cracking exposed to groundwater in a timely manner. A total of six pipe samples containing cracks in shallow dents excavated from a 24-inch diameter liquid transmission pipeline were selected for full-scale fatigue tests. The test system developed under the project consisted of (1) a computer-controlled hydraulic pressure cycling system, (2) an environment chamber containing NS4 solution mounted on the dent region to provide a simulated field environment condition, (3) real-time crack growth monitoring systems including direct current potential drop (DCPD) system, Clip gage, and Strain gage, and (4) a data acquisition system. The cyclic pressure range used in the fatigue test was between 78 psig (7.2%SMYS, minimum) and 780 psig (72%SMYS, maximum) with R = 0.1, which was based on historical operational pressure fluctuation data. A constant frequency of 0.0526 Hz was selected for the testing to ensure the frequency requirement for corrosion fatigue was met. In this paper, the objective, along with the background of this research, is discussed first. Then, the pipe sample preparation, experimental setup, and test results are presented. The fatigue crack growth rate as a function of the stress intensity factor is then discussed. Following this, the fatigue crack growth coefficients were estimated using the full-scale test data and FEA. Finally, the fatigue test results are summarized and presented the framework for the life prediction of corrosion fatigue cracks in shallow dents.

Author(s):  
Norman Platts ◽  
Ben Coult ◽  
Wenzhong Zhang ◽  
Peter Gill

Light water reactor coolant environments are known to significantly enhance the fatigue crack growth rate of austenitic stainless steels. However, most available data in these high temperature pressurized water environments have been derived using specimens tested at positive load ratios, whilst most plant transients involve significant compressive as well as tensile stresses. The extent to which the compressive loading impacts on the environmental enhancement of fatigue crack growth, and, more importantly, on the processes leading to retardation of those enhanced rates is therefore unclear, potentially leading to excessive conservatism in current assessment methodologies. A test methodology using corner cracked tensile specimens, and based on finite element analysis of the specimens to generate effective stress intensity factors, Keff, for specimens loaded in fully reverse loading has been previously presented. The current paper further develops this approach, enabling it to be utilized to study a range of positive and negative load ratios from R = −2 to R = 0.5 loading, and provides a greater understanding of the development of stress intensity factor within a loading cycle. Test data has been generated in both air and high temperature water environments over a range of loading ratios. Comparison of these data to material specific crack growth data from conventional compact tension specimens and environmental crack growth laws (such as Code Case N-809) enables the impact of crack closure on the effective stress intensity factor to be assessed in both air and water environments. The significance of indicated differences in the apparent level of closure between air and water environments is discussed in the light of accepted growth laws and material specific data.


1980 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akira Tsurui ◽  
Akito Igarashi

A probabilistic model for fatigue crack growth proposed by K. P. Oh is modified in some respects. Under more natural assumptions than Oh’s it is derived that the rate of fatigue crack growth is proportional to some power of the range of the stress intensity factor. It is also shown that the exponent ranges from 2 to 4.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susumu Terada ◽  
Toshio Yoshida

Abstract In Table KD-430 and KD-430M of ASME Section VIII Division 3 (hereinafter called ASME Div. 3), there were no fatigue crack growth rate factors and threshold value of stress intensity factor range for carbon and low alloy steels with yield strength less than or equal to 620 MPa. These fatigue crack growth rate factors and threshold value of stress intensity factor range for ferritic steels with intermediate strength were also necessary for designing ASME Div. 3 vessels. We investigated the fatigue crack growth rates given in various standards. Especially Bloom’s paper related to ASME Sec. XI was investigated in detail. The test results on fatigue crack growth rate under various stress intensity range ratio in Bloom’s paper were compared with test results in other references. An equation for fatigue crack growth corrected by the stress intensity factor ratio was developed based on our investigation. The equation developed for fatigue crack growth was confirmed to agree with the test data in Bloom’s paper for negative and positive R ratios. Hence this equation, which was appropriate for a wide range of positive and negative R ratios, was proposed for ASME Div. 3. The addition of the threshold value of the stress intensity factor range for intermediate strength ferritic steels was also proposed. The fatigue crack growth rate factors at room temperature were provided in Table KD-430 and KD-430M of ASME Div. 3. As the operating temperature is higher than room temperature, the temperature correction is necessary for calculating fatigue crack growth. The temperature correction method in KD-4 of ASME Div. 3 was also proposed. These proposed changes except minimum threshold value were approved by Board in 2018 and they were reflected in 2019 Edition. The minimum threshold value was approved by the Board in 2021. It will be reflected in 2021 Edition. The background of these proposed changes is shown in this paper.


1980 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. McGowan ◽  
H. W. Liu

An accurate knowledge of the dependence of the fatigue crack growth rate (da/dN) on the stress intensity factor range (ΔK) is necessary to perform a safety analysis of any structure. Fatigue crack growth tests are normally performed on simple, two-dimensional finite thickness specimens to determine this dependence. Certain anomalies in this dependence have been observed when specimen thickness and mean stress have been varied. The thickness effect and the mean stress effect on the fatigue crack growth rate are related to the variation in crack closure and the local stress intensity factor along the crack front. A simple model incorporating both of these two effects is proposed. The model is applied to fatigue crack growth data for a nickel-base super alloy (IN-100) with very good success.


1970 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. T. Ryder ◽  
J. P. Gallagher

The temperature dependence of sustained-loading and corrosion-fatigue crack-propagation behavior of SAE 4340 steel immersed in distilled water was investigated using the fracture mechanics approach. During the load cycle, stress-intensity histories had values higher than the static threshold stress intensity (KIscc). For a stress-intensity range of 20 ksi in., a factor of 30 increase in the corrosion-fatigue crack-growth rate was noted for a temperature increase of 70 deg C. The mechanical variables were found to have much less influence than the environmental reaction rate. In contrast with dry air results, the fatigue crack-growth rate in a distilled water environment was dependent on the mean stress-intensity for stress-intensity histories above KIscc. This dependence varied with temperature level.


2012 ◽  
Vol 525-526 ◽  
pp. 221-224
Author(s):  
Rui Bao ◽  
Xiao Chen Zhao ◽  
Ting Zhang ◽  
Jian Yu Zhang

Experiments have been conducted to investigate the crack growth characteristics of 7050-T7451 aluminium plate in L-S orientation. Two loading conditions are selected, i.e. constant amplitude and constant stress intensity factor range (ΔK). The effects of ΔK-levels and stress ratios (R) on crack splitting are studied. Test data shows that crack splitting could result in the reverse of crack growth rate trend with the increasing R ratio at high ΔK-level. The appearance of crack splitting depends on both ΔK and R.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Dinovitzer ◽  
Sanjay Tiku ◽  
Morvarid Ghovanlou ◽  
Mark Piazza ◽  
Thomas Jones

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