OTC 3742

INVESTIGATION OF RANGER I COLLASPE

METALLURGICAL AND FRACTURE ANALYSIS

by R.C. Jerner, John A. Harcourt, and Charles W. Powell,

Engineering & Materials Technology Corp.

©Copyrlght 1980 Offshore Technology Conference

This paptlr was presented at the 12th Annual OTe In Houston, Tex., May 5-8, 1980. The material Is subject to correction by the author. Permission to copy Is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words.

ABSTRACT shown in Figure 1. The starboard forward leg

failed in bending at the 38 foot level. The port
The May 10, 1979, collapse of Ranger I, south forward leg separated at the 68 foot level. Figure
of Galveston, Texas, occurred as a result of initi- 2 is a top schematic plan of the mat, leg nomencla-
ation and growth of a fatigue crack in the aft leg/ ture, and the orientation referenced herein. The
stiffener fillet weld runout. The 23 inch fatigue aft leg was completely separated and hairpinned
crack apparently developed and grew over the struc- over the mat structure. The lower portion of the
ture's lifetime. After the fatigue crack became aft leg, its fractured end partially buried in bot-
critical and complete leg separation occurred, the tom mud, was inside the "moon pool". The upper aft
leg moved laterally and dropped to the mat surface. leg portion, originally near the hull, was buried
The leg apparently remained in this general posi- outside the mat structure. A diagram showing the
tion for a period of time while settling into an approximate leg location and attitude is shown in
attitude approximately 9· to II· off vertical. Ap- Figure 3. The final mat attitude, with respect to
plied loading became critical and the aft leg col- the ocean floor, can be pictured by reference to
lapsed at the 44 foot level. This in turn allowed Figure 1.
the aft end of the upper hull to fall. Hull side
failure of the aft leg together with bending and Forward Starboard Leg Recovery
separation of the forward legs followed.
The two forward legs were retrieved prior to
attempting aft leg recovery. The forward starboard
INTRODUCTION leg was secured with a lifting line to the barge
derrick and separated from the mat by circumferen-
The authors were requested by the United tially cutting at approximately the 24 foot level.
States Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation to The freed leg was then lifted to the barge for
travel to the site of the collapse of Ranger I in close inspection. The fracture surfaces were pho-
the Gulf of Mexico approximately twelve miles south tographed, macroscopically examined, washed with
of Galveston, Texas. The purpose of this trip was clear water, and oiled to inhibit corrosive action.
to provide on-site advice and consultation concern- The upper leg separation, at the 89 to 90 foot
ing the recovery, significance, and preservation of level, occurred predominately in shear. The frac-
fractured members which might have contributed to ture surface associated with the collapse, which
structural collapse. They were also requested to occurred at the 38 foot level, was macroscopically
conduct detailed metallurgical studies of pertinent examined. Tensile overload fractures extended from
fractures and to provide a report of factual find- 270· through O· to 90·. The fracture probably
ings. Ranger I, a self-elevating mobile drilling initiated in the upper corner of the 270· pinhole
unit, was located in about sixty feet of water when and propagated above the O· pinhole to approximate-
the mishap occurred on May 10, 1979. ly the 30· position. Another fracture initiated at
the 90· pinhole and propagated toward the O· pin-
hole but veered downward at termination. The leg
INVESTIGATION also experienced clockwise torsional deformation.
It was determined that this leg failure occurred
Wreckage Recovery and Macroscopic Examination subsequent to the aft leg collapse.

A view of the lower or mat section wreckage as Forward Port Leg Recovery
initially observed from the recovery vessel is
A similar recovery procedure was followed for
the forward port leg. Failure at the 68 foot level
References and illustrations at end of paper. occurred primarily in the aft direction. Maximum

59
tension was noted from 270· to 90·. The fracture
was primarily slant and had some torsional clock-
wise component. Again, it is believed that this
leg failed following the aft leg collapse.
Aft Leg Recovery
A line was then secured to the submerged aft
leg near the collapse (44 foot level) and the leg
lifted to the recovery vessel deck. A long strand
of cable embedded in bottom mud and partially con-
tained within the fractured leg was also recovered.
The lower aft leg primary fracture and entrapped
cable are shown in Figure 4. The aft leg hull side
failure occurred primarily by tensile tearing; how-
ever, some shear component was noted. The hull
side fracture occurred after the lower leg/mat
separation and (44 foot level) collapse. The lower
aft leg wall near the primary fracture surface,
shown in Figure 4, was thinned and heavily abraded.
Massive thinning of approximately eight inches of
the primary fracture negated any analysis in that
region. This thinned area was probably the result
of rubbing contact with the mat following aft leg
collapse. Subsequently, this area was confirmed to
contain the main fracture origin.
Mat and Aft Leg Stub Recovery and Examination
The salvage operation then focused on mat and
mat/aft leg stub recovery. The mat was surfaced,
towed to the Houston International Terminal, and
visually inspected. Slight deformation was ob-
served at the O· position in both forward legs
about four feet above the mat surface.
An overall view of the aft leg stub is shown
in Figure 5. The reference directional orienta-
tions are noted and conform to those indicated in
Figure 2. The fracture, now recognized as the pri-
mary fracture, initiated at approximately the 270·
location in the upper toe of the leg/stiffening
ring fillet weld and propagated in both clockwise
and counterclockwise directions. Frac ture topo-
graphy was flat with no readily identifiable shear
lip, indicating either progressive fatigue failure
or rapid crack growth under restraint conditions
adequate to develop brittle fracture. As crack
growth progressed, the crack tip stress state was
altered and the propagation direction departed from
the fillet weld toe upward into the leg. Final
separation of the primary fracture occurred at
about the 45· position, approximately 15 inches
above the mat surface. After separation of the leg
near the mat surface, the upper leg segment moved
laterally in the 270° direction and dropped about
three inches, impacting the mat surface. As a re-
sult of this shift and three to four inch drop, the
primary fracture origin (being the "lowest" point
and also located at approximately 270°) was the re-
gion of primary contact between the dropping, frac-
tured upper leg, and mat. The mat surface near
this location was heavily deformed and, as a re-
sult, the brittle barnacle layer was fragmented and
detached in the area around the 270· location.
During the aft leg examination, the hull side
of the primary fracture (HSPF) was cut from the re-
mainder of the leg in an attempt to "fit-up" with
the stub or mat side of the primary fracture
60
(MSPF). Deformation of the fractured upper leg and
the mat surface conformed perfectly. Two peaks in
the mat surface resulting from support given by
underlying vertical bulkhead and structural sup-
ports were observed to match with HSPF deformation.
Leg loads were then transferred to the leg/mat con-
tact area and other HSPF and MSPF contact points.
The HSPF and MSPF subsequently sheared at about the
180° and 330· locations (see Figure 6).
As the 180° and 330· shearing occurred (by
compressive loading), increased loading, deforma-
tion, and fracture were experienced by the leg in-
terior annular baffle (see Figure 5). Some defor-
mation of the remaining aft leg stub, from 30· to
120°, probably resulted as the upper leg settled
off vertical. Prior to final collapse, the leg sat
at an off-vertical attitude of approximately 9° to
11° (see Figure 7).
NON-DESTRUCTIVE LNSPECTION
Magnetic Particle and Ultrasonic Inspection
Barnacles were removed in the stiffener area
from both forward legs and the aft leg stub which
were then non-destructively inspected using ultra-
sonic and magnetic particle techniques. Briefly,
this inspection indicated the presence of cracks at
the leg/stiffener and/or stiffener/mat welds at
approximately the 0°, 90·, and 180· positions on
the aft leg stub. Crack indications were also
identified near structural and baffle joints at
various locations in the forward port and starboard
leg stiffening ring area.
LABORATORY MACRO EXAMINATION
Aft Leg Primary Fracture
In order to facilitate a more detailed inspec-
tion, examination, and sampling, the aft leg stub,
surrounding mat area, and the intersecting vertical
bulkheads were cut and removed to a controlled lab-
oratory environment. Figure 8 shows the aft leg
stub and surrounding mat after removal but prior to
cleaning and sectioning. The circumference of both
stub and leg fractures were divided into approxi-
mately equal segments, numbered, and photographed.
The segments were numbered clockwise from the 0°.
position. Primary fracture origin, (PFO), was con-
firmed in the 270° region.
270· Secondary Fracture
The mat side aft leg stub 270° area contained
not only the main fracture origin, but also several
secondary fractures which exhibited evidence of
progressive or fatigue failure. Relationship and
nomenclature of the secondary fracture is shown in
Figure 8.
1. Aft leg primary fracture or1g1n (PFO)
2. Secondary S-l (stiffener/mat weld runout)
3. Secondary S-2 (stiffener/mat weld runout)
4. Secondary S-3 (stiffener/mat weld runout)
 The fracture surface near 270· was cut and
cleaned for close macro- and microscope examina-
tion. The lower half of the S-l fracture, showing
a flat, smooth fracture, typical of progressive or
fatigue failure, was also cut for examination.
Initiation occurred at the stiffener/mat weld run-
out. Three distinct stop marks were observed, in-
dicating at least three significant changes in load
spectrum were experienced during the propagation
time frame.
270· Secondary S-4 Fracture
A section was then cut from the primary or~g~n
area, including the stiffener/leg fillet weld and
the upper half of the S-l fracture. As the main
fracture surface was being removed, a previously
unidentified cracked region, emanating from the
leg to stiffener fillet weld root and propagating
along the weld/ stiffener interface, was revealed.
This fracture, S-4, was cut for scanning and trans-
mission electron microscopy.
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
Aft Leg Quantitative Analysis
Quantitative chemical analysis was performed
on specimens cut from various leg and mat loca-
tions. Resul ts indicated that the material con-
formed to all initial and present (some leg materi-
al had been recently replaced) specifications.
MECHANICAL TESTING
i
Tensile Tests
Standard 0.505 inch diameter tensile test
specimens were cut from various leg locations.
Specimen axis was parallel to the leg axis and
transverse to the final rolling direction. Results
obtained are tabulated in Table 1 •
Charpy Impact Tests
Standard Charpy V-notch (CVN) impact specimens
(ASTM A370, Type A) were tested to determine upper
and lower shelf fracture energies and transition
temperature behavior. Specimens were cut trans-
verse to the final rolling direction and notched
perpendicular to the plate surface. Results foi
each temperature including impact value, percent
shear area, and lateral expansion were obtained.
A plot of impact value vs. temperature indi-
cated that the 15 foot-pound transition temperature
for material near the primary fracture was approxi-
mately 40·F. The 50 percent shear transition tem-
perature was approximately BO·F.
Full Leg/Stiffener Weld Section Test
The leg/stiffener weld crack indication previ-
ously identified by magnetic particle inspection at
the 90· location was removed for full section ten-
sile testing at 50·F. A full section tensile spec-
imen, pulled to failure, contained a 0.06 inch deep
fatigue crack and exhibited very limited ductility.
61
The section ultimate strength was calculated to be
approximately 76,000 psi.
FRACTURE MECHANICS TESTING AND ANALYSIS
Fracture mechanics testing and analysis of re-
sults from actual leg material led to the conclu-
sion that the most realistic range for the plane-
stress fracture toughness (K c ) was BO to 110 ksi.
Assuming the lower range value of fracture tough-
ness and a tensile stress level of 20 ksi, results
in a critical crack size of 10.2 inches. Converse-
ly, if the flaw size at failure can be established,
the tensile stress level can be calculated. For
example, if it is assumed that the critical crack
size is 23 inches, a tensile stress level of only
13.3 ksi is required for unstable propagation.
Electron microscopic examination, discussed below,
revealed the existence of a 23 inch fatigue crack.
METALLOGRAPHY AND MICROHARDNESS
A section was cut from the aft leg/stiffener/
mat joint at the forward or O· position. Longitu-
dinal metallographic sections were prepared con-
taining the leg/upper fillet weld/stiffener and the
stiffener/weld/mat joints.
Close examination of the stiffener/leg joint
weld toe runout and root area revealed several
small cracks. It should be noted that the primary
fracture origin initiated at an identical location
at the 270· position. Microstructure of the leg,
stiffener, and mat material was examined and ap-
peared normal.
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
Scanning and transmission electron microscopic
examinations were performed on several aft leg
fractures to ascertain failure mode and extent of
any progressive fracture.
Fracture Mechanics Test Specimens
Preliminary macroscopic evidence strongly sug-
gested that the primary failure mode was fatigue.
Documentation of fatigue and overload failure modes
in A-36 steel with the crack growth orientation
similar to that experienced in the subject aft leg
was deemed imperative. Several three-point slow
bend test specimens used for fracture toughness
testing were precracked at various levels of stress
intensity and then were subjected to scanning and
transmission electron microscopy. The nature and
topography of fatigue in A-36 leg material subject-
ed to a IJ. K range of 30 ksi is observed in the
scanning micrograph in Figure 9. Figure 10 is a
transmission micrograph from the same region.
Secondary Fracture S-l
Secondary fracture, S-l, was chosen for exami-
nation as it appeared to contain a fatigue region
and a fast fracture zone created as the upper aft
leg dropped to the mat surface. The section chosen
for SEM and TEM studies is shown in Figure 11 where
the fast fracture and fatigue zones are noted.
Results from the fast fracture region indicated
that the failure mode was quasi-cleavage. These
micrographs, from an area of known overload frac-
ture, subjected to the same post collapse environ-
ment as the primary fracture, provide a basis for
comparison with primary fracture surface TEM
studies. Such comparison then allowed determina-
tion of the primary fracture failure mode and the
fatigue zone circumferential limits.
Primary Fracture Surface
In order to accommodate the sample in the SEM
chamber, the aft mat side leg primary fracture was
cut into sections approximately three inches in
length. The origin area, located at approximately
270°, was divided into two sections. The half to-
ward 180° was noted as number 1 and the half toward
0° was designated as number 2. Sections toward the
180° position, fro~ number 1, were subsequently
designated O, C, B, A, D, E, F, etc.; those toward
o“, from number 2, were numbered 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.
A photograph showing the cut and referenced sec-
tions is shown in Figure 12.
Initially, extensive electron microscopic
studies were conducted on the primary origin left
side, Section 1. For reference purposes, Figure
13 shows a closeup of the Section 1 fracture sur-
face and locations where detailed TEM studies were
performed. Evidence from this series of studies on
Section 1 indicate that the fracture mode waa fa-
tigue and that a through-the-wall fatigue crack did
exist prior to final collapse. Because of heavy
oxide and surface deposits, scanning electron
microscopic studies failed to reveal topography
which could unequivocally be identified as fatigue.
However, transmission electron microscopy was able
to conclusively establish the fatigue failure mode
(see Figures 14 and 15).
Transmission electron microscopy was conducted
on various circumferential sections in order to de-
fine the fatigue crack growth limits. Results from
selected sections are summarized in Table 2.
The extent of identified fatigue crack growth
in the counterclockwise direction was found to oc-
cur in Section F. TEM results and visual examina-
tion confirmed that this fatigue crack existed ap-
proximately 50 to 70 percent through the wall.
Termination of this crack in the clockwise direc-
tion probably occurred between sections B and C.
This crack, having a length of approximately 14
inches, has an origin probabiy located near the
240” region.
Through-the-wall fatigue, as determined by a
TEM indication of fatigue at the I.D. surface, ex-
tends from sections O to 6 and has an origin near
270”. Fatigue termination in the counterclockwise
direction probably occurred near the clockwise
limit (between sections B and C) of the adjacent
240° fatigue crack. It is possible that the two
fatigue cracks joined at this location. Apparent
crack growth rate, as determined by localized fa-
tigue striation counting, was somewhat increased in
Sections 5 and 6 near the clockwise fatigue bounda-
ry.
Thus, TEM results confirm the existence of two
fatigue crack# which possibly joined near the 255”
region. The through-the-wall crack centered near
270” was approximately 23 inches in length. A
second fatigue crack, 50 to 70 percent through the
wall over an appreciable distance, was approximate-
ly 14 inches in length and centered near 240”. A
map of the identified fatigue region is shown in
Figure 16.
A sample from the primary fracture, cut near
the 90° location, was also studied using the TEM.
Results clearly confirmed the fracture mode at that
location as quasi-cleavage.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Results of this investigation permit develop-
ment of a most probable sequence of events prior to
the collapse of Ranger I on May 10, 1979.
Magnetic particle and ultrasonic testing,
metallography, drop weight testing, and leg/s~if-
fener joint tensile test results all indicate the
presence of pre-existing surface cracks. These
cracks, all in the. region of leg/stiffener and
stiffener/mat weld runout, were found to be coinci-
dent with leg/mat bulkhead and structural joints.
This suggests that considerable rigidity at these
locations resulted in load and stress concentra-
tion. Stress fluctuations, resulting from wave
action and rig operation, appear to be of suffi-
cient magnitude and nature to initiate and propa-
gate aft leg fatigue cracks near the 0°, 90°, 180°,
and 270° regions. Crack indications were also ob-
served near these same locations on the forward
legs. Asymmetric loading and/or increased stress
intensity range resulted in greater fatigue crack
propagation n~ar the 270” rather than 90° region.
 TABLE 1

TENSILE TEST RESULTS

Leg Yield Tensile Reduction

Elevation SCrength Strength Elongation of Area
Specimen
(ft.) (ksi) (ksi) (% in 2 in.) (%)
Identification

2671 12 38.4 71.2 31.0 61.0

2671 12 38.6 71.1 32.0 61.0

2681 20 34.9 66.2 33.0 61.0

2681 20 35.2 66.0 35.0 59.5

2682 39 39.6 68.5 33.0 59.5

39 40.2 69.0 31.5 61.0

2682
2683 88 38.4 75.0 29.0 58.0

88 38.6 74.6 31.0 61.5

2683

TABLE 2

SUMMARY OF TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDIES PERFORMED

ON PRIMARY FRACTURE
Crack
Area General Growth
Section # Designation Location Results (cyclin) Photo #

F Center Mw Fatigue H.48

F Center Mw Fatigue H.47
E Right 314W Fatigue H.46
D Left Mw Fatigue H.45
c Center 314W Fatigue H.42
c Right IDS Quasi-Cleavage H.29
c Left IDS Quasi-Cleavage H.30
B Center 3/4w Fatigue H.43
B Right IDS Quasi-Cleavage H.31
B Right IDS Quasi-Cleavage H.32
A Center Mw Fatigue H.44
A Right Mw Fatigue 1 .2X105 H.33
o H Mw Fatigue 4.1X105 H.27
0 J 114W Fatigue H.28
1 ICX .Mw Fatigue H.18
1 2Y Mw Fatigue 1 .3X105 H.19
1 YM l14w Fatigue 2.1X105 H.20
1 3x 114W Fatigue H.21
1 3x 114W Fatigue H.22
1 YR IDS Fatigue H.23
2 R Mw Fatigue H.24
2 s 114W Fatigue H.25
2 T Mw Fatigue 3.5X105 H.26
4 Left IDS Fatigue 8.3x104 H.34
4 Left IDS Fatigue H.35
5 Left IDS Fatigue H.36
6 Left IDS Fatigue 1.3X105 H.37
6 Left IDS Fatigue 9 .OX1O4 R.38
7 Right ODS Quasi-Cleavage H.39
7 Right ODS Quasi-Cleavage H.40
8 Right Mw Quasi-Cleavage H.41

m = Mid wall IDS = I.D. surface

l/4W = 1/4 wall from ID surface ODS = O.D. surface
3/4W = 3/4 wall from ID surface
 Fig. 1- Viewof mat sectionwreckagefrom the recoveryvessel.

110’–0“

94’-o“
o o—
Forward Port
\. o

270”
Aft
‘o 0“
“ 1 m
I
a.
II Hul
0
*

Forward Starboard~ -0
0
0 ‘/ 0J
Fig.3-Approximate leg locationand attitude.
Fig.2-Top schematicplanof mat showingnomenclature
and or-
ientation.
Fig.4-Lower aft leg primaryfracture.

Fig.5-Overall viewof aft leg stub.

 Fig.6-Fit-up of aft leg primaryfracture.

- 9’toll”

Fig.7- Viewtowardaft showingapproximate

pre-collapse
attitude.
 Fig. 8-Aft leg stuband surrounding
mat (courtesyof Andersonand Associates).

Fig.9-Scanning micrographof fatiguein low~K regionof slowbendspecimen- Fig. 10- Transmission

micrographoffatiguein low~K regionof slowbend
originalmsg.2000X. specimen— originalmsg.2080X.
 Fig. 11- Secondaryfracture,S-1,showbothfatigueand fastfractureregions.

~&&&a& ,

% -&$&
>
%
/
*
—.
\
-+
&
~
../ .\

Fig. 12 -View of sectionscut for electronmicroscopy.

—
3

m mi
Fig. 13-Closeup viewof section1 fracturesurface. Fig. 14- Transmission
micrographof fatigueat I.D.surface,section1 –
originalmsg. 7670X.
Fig. 15 - Transmission micrograph of fatigue at quarter-wall location,
section 1 -- original mw. 7~7~X.

Fig. 16 - View of 270° region with fatj~~e zone delineated.