Structural integrity of circumferential welded joints in pipelines and risers

• Grant number: 09/54229-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2011
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Naval and Oceanic Engineering - Marine and Ocean Structures
• Principal Investigator: Claudio Ruggieri
• Grantee: Claudio Ruggieri
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The technological challenges for oil and gas drilling and production in the newly discovered Pre-Salt layer are enormous and have strongly motivated the development of more efficient and yet innovative offshore production systems capable to meet the complex and stringent design and operation requirements for ultradeep waters. Within this scenario, the riser system for oil and gas export from the well head to the floating production unit plays a key role in ensuring high levels of structural integrity and safe operation of the offshore infrastructure. This research plan addresses a numerical and methodological investigation of strength mismatch effects on the fracture behavior of circumferential welded joints for risers and pipeline systems. The approach is further extended to defect assessment procedures in such structural components based on the ECA methodology. A central objective is to develop more advanced and yet more accurate defect assessment procedures which are applicable to riser installation by the reeling method. The project is divided into 04 subtasks as follows: i) SET-SOL - Development of SE(T) fracture specimens applicable to fracture testing of weldments; ii) JCRISER - Evaluation of J and CTOD crack driving forces for welded joints in risers containing circumferential defects; iii) ACRSOL - Critical engineering assessments of welded joints in risers e iv) FRACTOOL - Development of the research code FracTool. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE SOUZA, RODOLFO F.; RUGGIERI, CLAUDIO. J-dominance and size requirements in strength-mismatched fracture specimens with weld centerline cracks. Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, v. 37, n. 4, p. 1083-1096, JUL 2015. (09/54229-3)

PAREDES, MARCELO; RUGGIERI, CLAUDIO. Further results in J and CTOD estimation procedures for SE(T) fracture specimens - Part II: Weld centerline cracks. ENGINEERING FRACTURE MECHANICS, v. 89, p. 24-39, JUL 2012. (09/54229-3)

RUGGIERI, CLAUDIO. Further results in J and CTOD estimation procedures for SE(T) fracture specimens - Part I: Homogeneous materials. ENGINEERING FRACTURE MECHANICS, v. 79, p. 245-265, JAN 2012. (09/54229-3)

SAVIOLI, RAFAEL G.; RUGGIERI, CLAUDIO. J and CTOD estimation formulas for C(T) fracture specimens including effects of weld strength overmatch. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRACTURE, v. 179, n. 1-2, p. 109-127, JAN 2013. (09/54229-3)

MATHIAS, LEONARDO L. S.; SARZOSA, DIEGO F. B.; RUGGIERI, CLAUDIO. Effects of specimen geometry and loading mode on crack growth resistance curves of a high-strength pipeline girth weld. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRESSURE VESSELS AND PIPING, v. 111, p. 106-119, NOV-DEC 2013. (09/54229-3)