Stress Concentration Factors of Dented Rigid Risers

Author(s):  
Bianca Pinheiro ◽  
Ilson Pasqualino ◽  
Nathália de Azevedo

Rigid risers are widely employed in the offshore industry nowadays, assuming the vertical (riser tower) or catenary (steel catenary riser, SCR) configurations. During operation, these structures undergo dynamic loads generated by the action of currents and waves. Rigid risers can also be subjected to collision from neighboring vessels or impact of heavy objects launched from them, resulting in the introduction of defects. The possibility of a fatigue failure must be addressed since these defects induce high localized stresses in the damaged section. The aim of this work is to evaluate the stress concentration induced by plain dents on rigid risers under combined dynamic bending and constant tension loads. A finite element model is developed to reproduce denting and spring back processes and estimate the stress concentration on the dented riser under combined bending and tension loads. The model is used in a parametric study to evaluate stress concentration factors (SCFs) for varying dimensions of dents and risers. Analytical formulae are developed considering the results from the parametric study to estimate SCFs of dented risers, which can be used in a theoretical fatigue life study, modifying standard S-N curves, and help to forewarn a fatigue failure.

Author(s):  
Navjot Singh ◽  
Sreekanta Das ◽  
Peter Song ◽  
Nader Yoosef-Ghodsi

Abstract Wrinkle defects can be complex pipeline deformities to assess and can present the potential to initiate a pipeline release incident as a result of fatigue failure due to pressure cycling, if not dealt with accordingly. Specifically, the stress distribution arising due to applied loads such as internal pressure can vary rapidly due to the complex shape along the wrinkle profile, which may introduce complexities in subsequent assessments such as fatigue life analysis. This paper presents a methodology using numerical simulation for evaluating stress concentration factors of wrinkle defects of varying geometries. A nonlinear finite element model is developed to evaluate stress concentration factors induced by wrinkle defects within steel pipelines subjected to internal pressure. Afterwards, data from full-scale laboratory tests for the wrinkled pipe specimens subjected to cyclic pressure fatigue loading is analyzed to evaluate stress concentration factors for comparable wrinkle profiles. Lastly, a comparison between the results of the stress concentration factors evaluated using finite element method and test data is provided, followed with a brief discussion of potential sources of discrepancies between results obtained from these methods.


Author(s):  
Ilson Pasqualino ◽  
Bianca Pinheiro ◽  
Carolina Ferreira

FPSO (floating production, storage and offloading) units can be subjected to mechanical damage in their side panels caused by collision with supply vessels. Even if the ultimate strength of the panel is not significantly affected by small damage, the stress concentration in the collided region may lead to the initiation of fatigue cracks, considering the long period of operation undergone by these vessels. The aim of this work is to evaluate stress concentration factors (SCFs) in damaged FPSO side panels and estimate their effect on the fatigue life through a theoretical study. A finite element model is developed to reproduce a supply vessel collision and evaluate resulting SCFs under in-plane compression load. A parametric study is carried out considering different damage magnitudes and the results obtained are used to develop an analytical expression to provide SCFs as a function of dimensions of damage and panel. SCFs provided by this expression could be used in a theoretical fatigue life study that can estimate the residual fatigue life of collided FPSO side panels and help to forewarn a fatigue failure under the event of an accidental collision.


Author(s):  
Elvis J. O. Santander ◽  
Bianca Pinheiro ◽  
Carlos Magluta ◽  
Ney Roitman

Abstract In the development of oil fields, submarine pipelines are used in various applications. These pipelines and risers are subject to accidents that may occur during operation, such as shocks between risers or shocks between a riser and an anchor, rock, or any equipment or heavy object, which may cause mechanical failure, such as dents. The objective of this work is to study of the effect of the introduction of plain dents on the structural integrity of rigid risers under fully reversed bending. A three dimensional finite element model was developed to estimate the stress concentration on dented risers under bending. Several numerical simulations were carried out to evaluate stress concentration factors (SCFs) for varying dimensions of dents and risers, in a parametric study. These SCFs can be used in the prediction of the remaining fatigue life of dented rigid risers.


Author(s):  
Bianca de Carvalho Pinheiro ◽  
Ilson Paranhos Pasqualino ◽  
Se´rgio Barros da Cunha

A nonlinear finite element model was developed to assess stress concentration factors induced by plain dents on steel pipelines subjected to cyclic internal pressure. The numerical model comprised small strain plasticity and large rotations. Six small-scale experimental tests were carried out to determine the strain behavior of steel pipe models during denting simulation followed by the application of cyclic internal pressure. The finite element model developed was validated through a correlation between numerical and experimental results. A parametric study was accomplished, with the aid of the numerical model, to evaluate stress concentration factors as function of the pipe and dent geometries. Finally, an analytical formulation to estimate stress concentration factors of dented pipelines under internal pressure was proposed. These stress concentration factors can be used in a high cycle fatigue evaluation through S-N curves.


Author(s):  
Bianca C. Pinheiro ◽  
Ilson P. Pasqualino

The objective of this work is to evaluate the stress concentration induced by longitudinal and transverse plain dents on steel pipelines under cyclic internal pressure. This work is within a study to propose a new methodology to assess the fatigue life of dented steel pipelines based on the current high cycle fatigue theory. This methodology employs stress concentration factors induced by plain dents, which are used to modify material S-N curves of metallic structures under high cycle fatigue loadings. The proposed assessment methodology was validated according to small-scale fatigue test results of steel pipe models with spherical dents under cyclic internal pressure. Here, stress concentration factors induced by longitudinal and transverse plain dents on steel pipes under internal pressure are obtained from a previously developed finite element model. Several finite element analyses are carried out in a parametric study. Analytical expressions are developed to estimate stress concentration factors for these two different dent geometries as function of pipe and dent geometric parameters. With the inclusion of these expressions, the proposed assessment methodology is improved and is now able to deal with three different plain dent geometries: spherical, longitudinal and transverse dents.


2010 ◽  
Vol 29-32 ◽  
pp. 664-668
Author(s):  
Wei Li ◽  
Qiang Li ◽  
Ping Wang

Based on the grouping method and lifting and lowering method, the weld joints of TCS stainless steel such as butt joint and corner joint were experimentally examined to clarify their fatigue properties in axial loading. The probabilistic S-N curves were established from the viewpoint of the survival probability and confidence level, and the stress concentration factors were evaluated by using finite element model. As a result, corresponding to fatigue life of N=2×106, the mean values of fatigue limit for corner joint and butt joint are evaluated to be 162.7MPa and 173.7MPa, respectively. The stress concentration factors for butt joint and corner joint are evaluated to be 1.55 and 2.22, respectively.


Author(s):  
Elvis Santander ◽  
Bianca Pinheiro ◽  
Carlos Magluta ◽  
Ney Roitman

Abstract In the development of oil and gas fields, subsea pipes are used in various applications, like pipelines and risers. During operation, risers can be subjected to accidents, such as collisions with other risers, anchors, rocks, or any heavy equipment or objects, which may lead to mechanical damages. These mechanical damages are commonly characterized as dents. The objective of this work is to study the effect of the introduction of plain dents on the fatigue life of rigid risers under fully reversed bending with the conduction of resonant bending tests. A three-dimensional finite element model was developed to estimate the stress concentration on dented risers under bending. Numerical simulations and experimental tests were carried out to evaluate the resulting stress concentration factors (SCFs). These SCFs can be used in the prediction of the remaining fatigue life of dented rigid risers.


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