In collaboration with Shell Global Solutions and BP Amoco, BG Technology carried out a research programme on the evaluation of prototype grade X100 line pipes for potential applications to future high-pressure gas transmission pipelines. As part of this collaborative programme, a study on the failure behaviour of X100 line pipes has been completed. The study combined material characterisation and experimental testing (both pipe ring expansion testing and full-scale pipe burst testing). The experimental tests involved pipe rings containing simulated metal loss defects, notch defects and part-wall fatigue cracks. The study focused on the macro-structural behaviour of damaged pipe walls. Defects in the parent metal, weld metal and seam weld heat affected zone (HAZ) were tested to failure. The tests showed a feature of ductile fracture failure and the test results demonstrated toughness-independent failure behaviour, indicating sufficiently high toughness levels in the these materials. This paper describes this study and highlights the major findings from this work.
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