Fatigue Crack Growth Comparison between Sleeved and Non-Sleeved Pipeline

Abstract

A section of gas pipeline containing dormant stress corrosion cracks was removed from service and pressure cycled, and the crack growth from fatigue was measured. Crack growth was able to be conservatively calculated by BS7910. Parts of the pipeline section had composite repair sleeves placed over it in order to compare fatigue crack growth of sleeved and unsleeved cracks. Sleeved cracks consistently showed less crack growth than unsleeved cracks; this is believed to be due to reduced hoop stresses in the pipe under the composite repair sleeve and reduced crack opening. A simple model of the sleeve repair was developed which was consistent with the measured strains in the pipe. The application pressure of the sleeve repair affects the amount of stress reduction in the pipe and the amount of crack growth experienced. Two possible methods of repair of SCC affected pipelines were validated by this work.