The present paper combines the fatigue properties rapid assessment approach using uniaxial test specimens proposed by Risitano and co-workers with the nondestructive testing (NDT) inspection approach proposed by Sakagami and co-workers to monitor the onset of fatigue in a reduced scale pipeline test specimen that was previously dented and subsequently subjected to cyclic pressure loading. In addition to the use of the conventional infrared (IR) thermographic method, the present paper uses a self-reference lock-in IR thermography method based on Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) and its deviation from traditional applications due to the presence of fatigue damage and plastic strains. The paper concludes showing that is possible to predict and monitor and detect fatigue initiation and damage using IR and TSA techniques applied to the thin wall pipe loaded under cyclic hydrostatic pressure.

The present paper reports initial results from an investigation program launched with the objective of presenting combinations of analytical, experimental and numerical methods to predict and monitor fatigue initiation and fatigue damage progression in equipment such as pressure vessels, tanks, piping and pipelines with dents or complex shaped anomalies. The monitoring of fatigue initiation and propagation in the actual specimens used nondestructive infrared inspection techniques. Thermoelasticity stress analysis (TSA), three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC) and fiber optic Bragg strain gages (FBSG) were used to determine strains at fatigue hot spots locations. Strain fields determined from the experimental measurements and from finite element analysis (FEA) were combined with the fatigue Coffin-Manson strain-life equation and the Miner’s fatigue damage rule to predict fatigue life (Nc). Results from one tested 3 m long tubular specimen containing a complex shaped dent are reported and fully analyzed.

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This paper reports results from an investigation program launched with the objective of assessing fatigue lives of actual pipeline specimens with dents. Nine pipeline 3m-length specimens were constructed with low carbon steel pipes API 5L Gr. B. The specimens had 323mm diameter and 6.35mm wall thickness. The specimens were loaded with hydrostatic internal pressure pulsating at a 1Hz rate. Six specimens had 15% deep longitudinal smooth dents (ratio between dent depth and outside specimen diameter) and three specimens had complex longitudinal 6% deep dent shapes. Nominal and hot spot stresses and strains were determined by experimental techniques (Fiber Optic Bragg Strain Gages - FBSG, and Digital Image Correlation - DIC) and by a numerical technique (Finite Elements - FE). The stresses and strain fields determined from nominal loading conditions or from experimental measurements and from the finite element analyses were combined with different fatigue assessment methods. The estimated lives were compared with the actual test results. The fatigue assessment methods encompassed those proposed by the Pipeline Defect Assessment Manual (PDAM) and by the API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 Level 2 methods described in parts 12 (Dents) and 14 (Fatigue). Most of the predicted lives exhibited high level of conservatism. A Level 3 method that employed experimentally and numerically determined hot-spot strains in conjunction with a fatigue strain-life equation proposed by Coffin-Manson predicted fatigue lives very close to the test results.