High Toughness, Submerged Arc Girth Weld for Northern Pipeline Applications

Author(s):  
Fathi Hamad ◽  
Xiande Chen ◽  
Laurie Collins

Strain-based design, to be used in Northern Pipeline applications, will likely call for the strength of the girth welds to over-match the longitudinal strength of the pipes. As well, a minimum level of weld metal fracture toughness, as measured by Charpy V-Notch (CVN), Crack-Tip Opening Displacement (CTOD) as well as Wide-Plate tests, will be required. The development work done to date, on Submerged Arc Welds (SAW) used to double joint pipes, has resulted in the production of girth welds for large diameter X80 pipes with minimum yield strength above 100,000 psi (690 MPa), Charpy-V-Notch absorbed energy more than 74 ft-lb (100 Joules) at −4 F (−20 C), CTOD greater than 0.006” (0.15 mm) at −4 F (−20 C) and Wide Plate remote strain greater than 4%, at −4 F (−20 C). This presentation will describe the metallurgical approach adopted for promoting high toughness and achieving over-matching yield strength, for strain-based design application.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Jones ◽  
Dr Thurairajah Sriskandarajah ◽  
Dr Daowu Zhou ◽  
James Hymers ◽  
Kieran Munro ◽  
...  

Abstract This paper presents an innovative defect growth ECA methodology for pipeline girth welds and its validation programme, applied specifically to reeling ECA of pipelines with under-matched strength welds. The ECA method is a tear-fatigue approach that accounts for the blunting limit in JR curves during pipe spooling and reel-lay. Fatigue crack growth may occur by low cycle high stress fatigue and by tearing, but the latter only if the crack tip opening displacement exceeds the blunting limit. Conventional ECA with BS7910 is limited because the weld's strength needs to be over-matched. Alternative industry methods for the application of FEA to under-matched strength welds are computationally more intensive than the presented innovative approach. Fatigue crack growth for low cycle high stress fatigue is calculated using Paris’ Law in the approach but, if the crack tip opening due to the tearing mechanism is less than the blunting limit then tearing growth is zero. With the innovative method, if the crack tip opening displacement exceeds the blunting limit then the tearing defect growth is included. Hence, the method is a combined tear-fatigue approach. Welded pipe strings were fabricated from pups composed of clad material; i.e. carbon backing steel pipe with a 3 mm layer of corrosion resistant alloy (CRA) on the inner circumference. Each test string was approximately 10.5m long and fabrication was from a mix of six 0.5m length pups in the central zone of each string and two longer end pups. Three girth welds included EDM notches for test purposes which simulated planar flaws. The notches were on the extreme tension fibre, as the test string gets pulled to the reel former in a reeling test rig. Full scale reeling simulations involved pulling the test strings up to 6 times to the reel former in a reeling test rig. Measurement of defect growth associated with the EDM notches was by scanning electron microscope (SEM), from specimen segments extracted from the test strings. Predictions of defect growth were by finite element models in combination with pipe-specific data that was the outcome of an associated small-scale test programme. Validation of the ECA-by-FEA approach is by a predictive best estimate study, for which there is excellent agreement between the measured values and the calculated defect growths. The ECA-by-FEA approach is conservative for project work, as shown by a high estimate study and an offset blunting limit study. Early development of the ECA approach was for small diameter CRA pipelines during the execution of the Guara-Lula project (Sriskandarajah et al, 2015). The presented full-scale tests, innovative defect growth measurement by scanning electron microscope and the FEA and defect growth calculations were full validation of the approach, with pipe strings that had outer diameter of 323.9mm.


Author(s):  
Dong-Yeob Park ◽  
Jean-Philippe Gravel ◽  
C. Hari Manoj Simha ◽  
Jie Liang ◽  
Da-Ming Duan

Shallow-notched single edge-notched tension (SE(T) or SENT) and deep- and shallow-notched single edge-notched bend (SE(B) or SENB) specimens with notches positioned in the weld and the heat-affected zone were tested. Crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) versus resistance curves were obtained using both a single and double clip gauge consolidated in a SE(T) single-specimen. Up until the peak load the resistance curves from both gauging methods yield approximately the same results; thereafter the curves deviate. Interrupted testing showed that the crack had initiated below 50% of the peak load, and in some cases had propagated significantly prior to reaching the peak load.


Author(s):  
L. N. Pussegoda ◽  
D. Begg ◽  
R. Holdstock ◽  
A. Jodoin ◽  
K. Light ◽  
...  

This paper presents the challenges and results associated with mechanical testing of overmatched X80 and X100 pipeline steel girth welds that were produced by Hybrid Laser Arc Welding (HLAW). The weld profile produced by this process is characterized as having a broad weld cap and a narrow leg, which traverses the through thickness direction. The development and testing of the HLAW process was conducted on NPS36 pipes of 10.4 mm and 14.3 mm thickness, respectively. The welds were deposited in the 5G welding position with all parameters and laser visual inspection data being collected for each weld pass. Subsequent sample extraction and testing of the hybrid laser arc welds were achieved by standard test practices for girth welds and modifications of these practices, where the latter was required to facilitate testing of the narrow HLAW geometry. Charpy results indicate that the fracture transition temperature, with the notch in either the weld metal or the heat-affected zone (HAZ), is higher at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions when compared to 9 and 12 o’clock positions. The likelihood of crack deviation influencing the results due to the non-conventional weld geometry needs to be examined in a further study. For crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) testing, shorter fatigue crack lengths were employed to reduce the possibility of fatigue crack deviation. The results show that this method does not influence the validity of the test outcomes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 71-78 ◽  
pp. 890-897 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Qing Wang ◽  
Yun Lin ◽  
Yan Nian Zhang ◽  
Yong Jiu Shi

Three point bending tests were carried out on 14mm-thick Q460C the high-strength structural steel at low temperature, and scanning electronic microscope of the fracture appearance was analyzed. The results showed that the obvious feature of brittle mechanism was shown on the three point bending specimen fracture whose testing took place at -40°C. And the crack tip opening displacement value of Q460C steel, which was less than that of Q235 steel, Q345 steel and Q390 steel at low temperature, tended to decrease with respect to the temperature reduction. Moreover, a Boltzmann function fitting analysis was applied to the experimental data, and the ductile-brittle transition temperature and the changing regularity were obtained.


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.


1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Bala ◽  
L. Malik ◽  
J. E. M. Braid

A primary consideration in the welding of structures for service in Canadian offshore and arctic regions is the toughness of weld metals required at very low ambient temperatures (−30°C to −60°C). To assess the suitability of cored wires for applications in these environments, some currently available commercial consumables for the flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) process were evaluated. Cored wires belonging to four different categories: basic, rutile, metal-cored and innershield, were used to prepare welds with similar welding procedures. Weld metal Charpy V-notch (CVN) and crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) tests were carried out and the effect of weld metal composition, microstructure and inclusion content in the weld metal toughness was examined. The Charpy transition temperatures and the CTOD toughness results indicated that, of the 16 wires tested, there were only seven that would be suitable for critical applications.


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.


Relaxation at a sharp crack tip by a single slip band is considered. It is shown that for mixed-mode loading of a plane crack in an isotropic medium there is a unique angle between the slip band and the crack for which the energy release rate (or stress intensity factor) of the crack can be reduced to zero. For such a slip-band calculations are made of the slipband length and the crack-opening displacement as a function of the loading, crack length and friction stress acting on dislocations in the slip band. For small-scale yielding, a simple model is discussed that gives a good approximation to the crack-tip opening displacement and slip-band angle.


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