Key Engineering Materials Vols 577-578 (2014) pp 637-640 Online: 2013-09-23

© (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.577-578.637

Comparison between Fracture Behaviour of Pipe-line Ring Specimens

and standard specimens
Nenad Gubeljak1,a, Andrej Likeb1,b , Jožef Predan1,c , Yury Matvienko2,d
1
University of Maribor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Smetanova u.17,
SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
2
Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences
4 M.Kharitonievsky Per., 101990 Moscow, RUSSIA
a
nenad.gubeljak@um.si, bandrej.likeb@um.si, cjozef.predan@um.si,
d
ygmatvienko@gmail.com

Keywords: Pipe-line Steel, Single Edge Notched Bend specimen, CTOD-R curves
Abstract. The thin walled structures as pipe-line are often unsuitable for standard testing of fracture
toughness. One possibility is applying non-standard modified specimens with simple testing
procedure, but measured fracture behaviour is consequence of loading conditions and geometry of
specimen. In this paper the differences in fracture behaviour of single edge notch bending (SENB)
and ring pipe-line bended specimens are discussed. Especially uneven fatigue crack front as
consequence of complex fatigue loading caused different fracture behaviour, than standard single
edge notch bending (SENB) specimens. The stress-strain conditions at the crack tip are analysed by
finite element modelling. The critical crack tip opening displacement has been determined as a
crack tip surface strain-relaxation by using stereo-optical grading method. Comparison between
CTOD-R curves of both types of specimens shows difference in crack driving force.
Introduction
Structure integrity assessment procedure of pipeline based on mechanical properties and fracture
toughness of material. Experimental fracture toughness measurement of fabricated pipe-line is often
difficult due by thin wall and consequently without possibility to meet standard’s requirements.
The aim of paper is presentation of alternative testing technique for fracture toughness testing of
already fabricated pipe-line by using new pipe-ring specimens. The new pipe-ring specimen with
spark eroding notch makes fracture toughness testing cheaper. This technique gives possibility for
fast simple testing and checking quality of pipeline material. In order to verification new technique
and specimen the comparison between standard SENB specimen and pipe-ring specimen has been
performed

Material properties and Fracture mechanics testing

The material used for testing is micro alloyed high strength steel grade HT50 with (thickness
t=40mm) commercial mark NIOMOL 490K, produced by Slovenian Steel work company Jesenice.
The structural steel is using for hydropower pipelines with good welding properties. Mechanical
properties, are yield strength, Rp=460 MPa, tensile strength, Rm=575 MPa and Young’s modulus,
E=208 GPa. Mechanical data were obtained from a tensile test.
Two different types of specimens were used for CTOD fracture toughness testing. The single edge
notched bend (SENB) specimens and new pipe-ring specimens made from same plate has been used
for fracture toughness testing at the room temperature (Fig. 1).

Fig.1: Testing SENB and pipe-ring specimens with optical 3D Deformation system ARAMIS

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638 Advances in Fracture and Damage Mechanics XII

Maximum strain before crack extension at the crack tip for SENB (left) and notch tip at pipe-
ring (right):

Next stage at the moment of strain relaxation at the crack tip for SENB (left) and notch tip at
pipe-ring (right):

Fig. 2: Determination of stable crack initiation point as stress-strain relaxation for SENB (left) and
pipe-ring specimens (right) between two snap shot stages
Dimensions of the standard SENB specimens are thickness B=10 mm, width W=20 mm.
Dimensions of the pipe-ring specimens are thickness B=10 mm, high W=20 mm and outside
diameter D=170 mm. Span distance between support of pipe-ring specimen was 153 mm (0.9D). In
order to prepare specimens for a fracture mechanics test according to ASTM 1820-05 [1], the
fatigue pre-cracking of specimens was performed by cyclic loading for the SENB specimens
Fmax=3.2 kN, R=0.1. Pipe-ring specimens have only spark eroded notches with crack depth 8 mm
and notch radius 0.24 mm. Fracture mechanic tests were performed under monotonically increasing
load. During the tests the direct technique δ5 for crack tip opening displacement [2] was measured
by using optical grading method with 3D deformation system ARAMIS [3]. In order to determine
crack tip opening displacement CTOD vs. crack extension ∆a curve, the normalization method was
applied for the SENB specimens. Results shows that the initiation of stable crack propagation can
be easy estimated as the stress-strain relaxation on the surface of specimen. Figure 2 shows strain
relaxation for SENB and pipe-ring specimens between two snap shot stages with corresponding
force displacement plot. R-curves of the “pipe-ring” specimens were estimated by fractographic
analysis and measurement of plastic stretch zone width-SZW and the final crack extension as is
shown in Fig. 3. The Normalization method has been applied in order to determine crack extension
during the loading of SENB specimens, but not for “pipe-ring” specimens. Figure 4 shows CTOD-
R curves for all three SENB specimens with crack initiation range. Obtained CTOD initiation
 Key Engineering Materials Vols. 577-578 639

values of SENB specimens have a good agreement with CTOD(δ5) initiation values obtained by
ARAMIS. The Crack Driving Curves of both types of specimens are compared too, as is shown in
Fig. 5. Figure 5 shows slightly lower CTOD(δ5) initiation values for “pipe-ring” specimens than
SENB specimens, is spite of fact that different loading manner occurred. Final analyses was
provided by compare crack initiation and final CTOD(δ5) values for both types of specimens. Only
the two characteristic points of the R-curves obtained are given in Fig. 6. Fracture mechanics tests
show slightly higher resistance to crack extension for the SENB specimens than for the “pipe-ring”
specimens at crack initiation. However, the CTOD toughness values are comparable. It provides
possibility for application new “pipe-ring” specimens for fast checking of fracture toughness.

SENB specimens „Pipe-ring“ specimen

Fig. 3: Example of fractographic measurements investigation of CTODpl on a SENB and “pipe-

ring” specimens at mag. x25

Fig.4: CTOD-R curves for SENB specimens Fig.5: Difference in CDF curves
640 Advances in Fracture and Damage Mechanics XII

δ5) initiation and final values for SENB and pipe-ring

Fig.6: Comparison between CTOD(δ
specimens

Conclusions
In the paper the transferability problem in fracture mechanics between the single edge notch bend
(SENB) and the notched „pipe-ring“ specimens made from the same material and same thickness
has been demonstrate. While differences in CTOD-R curves are in the range from slightly higher
behavior of the SENB specimens than „pipe-ring“ specimen in initial stage. More significant
differences appear in crack driving force, as consequence of different constraint (triaxiality) of the
SENB and the „pipe-ring“ specimens. It can be concluded that new “pipe-ring” specimens is
possible to apply for fast checking of fracture toughness.

References
[1] ASTM E 1820-01. Standard Test Method for Measurement of Fracture Toughness. ASTM
International: Metals-Mechanical Testing, Volume 03.01.2004.
[2] GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht (1991) GKSS-Displacement Gauge Systems for
Application in Fracture Mechanics.
[3] ARAMIS GOM GmbH, www.gom.com
Advances in Fracture and Damage Mechanics XII
10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.577-578

Comparison between Fracture Behaviour of Pipe-Line Ring Specimens and Standard Specimens
10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.577-578.637