FRACTURE MECHANICS ASSESSMENT OF CRACKED WELDED POLYOLEFIN PIPES

Abstract eng:
The aim of this paper is to present methodology for estimation of fracture mechanics parameters in polyolefin pipes with an axially oriented crack using three dimensional numerical analyses. Linear elastic fracture mechanics is used for description of fracture behavior. In the paper, three different variants of pipe weld with an internal axial semi-elliptical crack are studied. Numerical models correspond to a cracked pipe containing material nonhomogeneity in the welding area caused by welding process. A critical locations of the crack initiated along the pipe wall is found and the stress intensity factor for such cracks with real crack shape are numerically estimated in these critical locations. The methodology presented here can be used for estimation of residual lifetime of welded polymer pipes containing crack.

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