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Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000–000
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Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000–000
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Procedia Structural Integrity 16 (2019) 148–152

6th International Conference “Fracture Mechanics of Materials and Structural Integrity”

6th International Conference “Fracture Mechanics of Materials and Structural Integrity”
Prediction of the residual lifetime of gas pipelines considering the
Predictioneffect ofresidual
of the soil corrosion
lifetime and
of material degradation
gas pipelines considering the
effect of soil corrosion and material degradation
Ivan Shtoykoa*, Jesús Toribiob, Viktor Kharinb, Myroslava Hredila
a
Karpenko Physico-MechanicalaInstitute of the National Academy
b
Ivan Shtoyko *, Jesús Toribio , Viktor Kharin , Myroslava Hredil b
of Sciences of Ukraine, 5, Naukova St., Lviv 79060,a Ukraine;
b
Fracture & Structural Integrity Research Group (FSIRG), University of Salamanca (USAL), E.P.S., Campus Viriato, 49022 Zamora, Spain.
a
Karpenko Physico-Mechanical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 5, Naukova St., Lviv 79060, Ukraine;
b
Fracture & Structural Integrity Research Group (FSIRG), University of Salamanca (USAL), E.P.S., Campus Viriato, 49022 Zamora, Spain.
Abstract

Abstract
The calculation model is developed to evaluate the residual lifetime of a pipe with a crack considering in-service degradation of
the pipeline steel and the effect of soil corrosion. The model is based on the first law of thermodynamics. The problem of
The calculationofmodel
determination is developed
the period to evaluate
of subcritical the residual
crack growth lifetime
in a pipe of a pipe
is reduced with
to the a crack considering
differential in-service
equation subjected to degradation of
definite initial
the
and pipeline steel andObtained
final conditions. the effect of soiltogether
equation corrosion.withThe
themodel
boundary is based on thearefirst
conditions usedlawforofprediction
thermodynamics. The problem
of the residual lifetime of
determination
the pipe madeofof thethe
periodX52ofpipe
subcritical
steel. crack growth
The pipe in a pipe
contains is reduced
external to thesemi-elliptical
surface differential equation
crack. subjected
The task toconsists
definite in
initial
the
and final conditions.
determination Obtained
of the time equation
of crack togetherthrough
propagation with thetheboundary
pipe wallconditions are used for prediction
till its decompression. Accordingoftothetheresidual lifetime
experimental of
data,
the pipe
cracks made
in the of the
studied steelX52 pipe
under steel. The
long-term pipeand
loading contains externalpropagate
soil corrosion surface semi-elliptical
mainly at constant crack.
rate,The
whichtask consists for
is different in the
determination of the steel
as-received pipeline time and
of crack propagation
the steel through
after 30 years the pipe Based
in service. wall till
onits decompression.
these According
data, the equation to the experimental
for approximate data,
determination
cracks
of the in the studied
crack growth steel
rate under long-term
for arbitrary loading
service andofsoil
time thecorrosion
pipe made propagate
of the mainly
X52 steelat constant rate, which
is proposed. is different
To evaluate thefor the
crack
as-received
propagation pipeline
time, thesteel and approach
energy the steel after 30 years For
is employed. in service.
a crackBased on thesesemi-elliptical
that remains data, the equation forpropagation,
during approximatethe determination
problem is
of the crack
reduced to thegrowth rate for
differential arbitrary
equation service
system thattime of the the
determines pipevariations
made of of thethe
X52 steelsemi-axes.
crack is proposed.
The To evaluate
system the under
solution crack
propagation
definite initialtime,
and the
finalenergy approach
conditions is employed.
renders For aforcrack
the expression that residual
the pipe remains lifetime.
semi-elliptical during propagation,
The dependences the problem
of pipe residual lifetimeis
reduced
on initialtocrack
the differential
depth and pipe equation system
operation timethat
are determines
derived. The thestrong
variations of the
influence crack
of the timesemi-axes. The system
of steel previous solution
service on theunder
pipe
definite initial
residual lifetimeand
is final conditions renders the expression for the pipe residual lifetime. The dependences of pipe residual lifetime
manifested.
on initial crack depth and pipe operation time are derived. The strong influence of the time of steel previous service on the pipe
residual
© 2019 Thelifetime is manifested.
Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
Peer-review under responsibility of the 6th International Conference “Fracture Mechanics of Materials and Structural Integrity”
©
© 2019
2019The TheAuthors. Published
Author(s). by Elsevier
Published B.V. B.V.
by Elsevier
organizers
Peer-review under responsibility of the 6th International Conference “Fracture Mechanics of Materials and Structural Integrity” organizers.
Peer-review under responsibility of the 6th International Conference “Fracture Mechanics of Materials and Structural Integrity”
organizers
Keywords: steel; residual lifetime assessment; pipelines; corrosion; material degradation; energy approach.

Keywords: steel; residual lifetime assessment; pipelines; corrosion; material degradation; energy approach.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +38-032-263-2133; fax: +38-032-264-9427.

E-mail address: ivan.shtoyko@gmail.com
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +38-032-263-2133; fax: +38-032-264-9427.
E-mail address:
2452-3216 ivan.shtoyko@gmail.com
© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
Peer-review under responsibility of the 6th International Conference “Fracture Mechanics of Materials and Structural Integrity”
organizers© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
2452-3216
Peer-review under responsibility of the 6th International Conference “Fracture Mechanics of Materials and Structural Integrity”
organizers

2452-3216  2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Peer-review under responsibility of the 6th International Conference “Fracture Mechanics of Materials and Structural Integrity” organizers.
10.1016/j.prostr.2019.07.034
 Ivan Shtoyko et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 16 (2019) 148–152 149
2 Ivan Shtoyko, Jesús Toribio, Viktor Kharin, Myroslava Hredil / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000–000

1. Introduction

Gas main pipelines have been operating for a long time under complicated service conditions. The pipes in
service are subjected to combined action of service stresses and impacts of the environment. The problem of
ensuring the safe operation of gas pipelines becomes increasingly important over time.
Based on the results of gas pipeline safety assessment made by Student et al. (2018), the stress corrosion cracking
is the main cause of pipeline accidents. Cracks mostly initiate from corrosion pits on the pipe external surface in
areas where the protecting cover is damaged, whereas the pipe is subjected to prolonged combined action of
operational stresses caused by gas internal pressure. Besides, Tsyrul'nyk et al. (2008) and Hredil et al. (2010)
showed that some components of natural gas should be considered as corrosive agents. This leads to the
phenomenon known as operational degradation. It manifests itself first of all in sharp decrease of the steel resistance
to brittle fracture, as it was shown by Tsyrul'nyk et al. (2004), Gredil (2008), Maruschak et al. (2014), Meshkov et
al. (2015). It also worsens other important steel parameters. For instance, Zvirko (2017) revealed electrochemical
activation of steel, whereas Andreikiv et al. (2012), Kryzhanivs’kyi et al. (2015) proved crack growth facilitation.
Comprehensive study of the degradation and its experimental estimation showed that the fracture toughness defined
by J-integral is more sensitive to changes in material state caused by operation than the impact toughness of Charpy
specimens does. Besides, corrosive environment influence, and subsequent metal hydrogenation were reported to
increase steel sensitivity to in-service degradation (Hredil et al. (2012), Andreikiv et al. (2016), Tsyrul’nyk et al.
(2018), Zvirko et al. (2018)).
Therefore, although a crack starts from the external pipe wall as a result of soil corrosion in the place of damaged
protection, after a certain period of steel operation it propagates in the material with mechanical properties
essentially worsened comparing to the non-operated steel.
Many researches have been devoted to the problem of residual lifetime determination of the gas pipelines with
cracks. In these researches, possible changes of metal properties during operation time were not considered.
However, the problem of operational degradation should not be neglected. For more accurate assessment of the
residual lifetime of gas pipelines, it is important to introduce certain parameters in models to reflect the changes in
material’s state during service and, in this way, to take into account negative factors (in-service stresses, corrosion
action) influencing the pipeline serviceability. Accordingly, the aim of the present research is to develop the model
for residual lifetime assessment of gas pipelines considering the effect of soil corrosion and material degradation.

2. Materials and methods

The object of research is the Х52 steel pipe having the wall thickness h = 12 mm and the pipe diameter
2r = 1420 mm, which was subjected to constant pressure of natural gas p = 8 MPa and is weakened at its external
surface by the semi-elliptical crack with semi axes 𝑎𝑎0 , 𝑏𝑏0 (Fig. 1). The chemical composition of the Х52 steel and
its mechanical properties are presented in Tables 1 and 2.
It is assumed that the soil environment fills the crack and causes its corrosion-mechanical propagation. As it
has been mentioned above, long-term operation of the pipe leads to material degradation, i.e. its resistance to the
fatigue crack growth decreases. The task consists in the determination of the time t = t* necessary for crack
propagation through the pipe wall until b = h, when its decompression starts.

Figure 1. Loading scheme of the pipe with an external crack under soil environment action.
150 Ivan Shtoyko et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 16 (2019) 148–152
Ivan Shtoyko, Jesús Toribio, Viktor Kharin, Myroslava Hredil / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000–000 3

Table 1. The chemical composition of the Х52 steel.

Element С Si Mn Cr Ni Mo S Cu Al Fe
wt. % 0.206 0.293 1.257 0.014 0.017 0.006 0.009 0.011 0.034 balance

Table 2. Mechanical properties of the Х52 steel.

Yield strength ys, MPa Ultimate tensile strength UTS, MPa Elongation , %
410 528 30.2

According to the experimental research of Gabetta et al. (2008), a crack in the pipe under long-term static
loading and soil corrosion propagates mainly with constant rate 𝑉𝑉𝑘𝑘 . For the non-operated pipe the rate is 𝑉𝑉𝑘𝑘 (0) =
1,03 ⋅ 10−3 m/year and for the steel after 30 years of operation 𝑉𝑉𝑘𝑘 (30) = 8,03 ⋅ 10−3 m/year. Based on these
experimental data, the equation for approximate determination of the crack growth rate dependent on the operation
time t, i.e., 𝑉𝑉𝑘𝑘 ≈ 𝑉𝑉𝑘𝑘 (𝑡𝑡), for the pipe made of the X52 steel may be written as follows:

𝑉𝑉𝑘𝑘 (𝑡𝑡) = 10−3 [1,03 + 0,23(𝑡𝑡0 + 𝑡𝑡)] (m/year), (1)

where 𝑡𝑡0 – is the time of pipe operation before gas pipeline residual lifetime evaluation.
Following Andreikiv et al. (2007, 2017), the energy approach is implemented to solve the problem. As a result, it
is reduced to the mathematical model that renders the following governing equation:
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕2 𝜌𝜌
= 𝑉𝑉𝑘𝑘 (𝑡𝑡)√1 + 𝜌𝜌−2 ,
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝛼𝛼 2

(2)
𝑡𝑡 = 0,  𝑡𝑡 = 0, 𝜌𝜌(0, 𝛼𝛼) = 𝜌𝜌0 (𝛼𝛼); 𝑡𝑡 = 𝑡𝑡∗ , 𝜌𝜌(𝑡𝑡∗ , 𝜋𝜋/2) = ℎ,

where 𝛼𝛼, 𝜌𝜌 – coordinates of polar system Oαρ which follows the shape of the corrosion-mechanical crack.
The equation (2) is nonlinear partial differential equation. It may be solved approximately using the next
assumption: the initial crack has semi-elliptical configuration and its propagation rate is constant. Then, it can be
supposed that the crack only slightly differs from the elliptical shape during its propagation. Under these
assumptions, the equation (2) reduces to the next differential equation system:
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
= 10−3 [1,03 + 0,23(𝑡𝑡0 + 𝑡𝑡)],    = 10−3 [1,03 + 0,23(𝑡𝑡0 + 𝑡𝑡)], (3)
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

𝑡𝑡 = 0,   𝑎𝑎(0) = 𝑎𝑎0 ,   𝑏𝑏(0) = 𝑏𝑏0 ;  𝑡𝑡 = 𝑡𝑡∗ ,  𝑎𝑎(𝑡𝑡∗ ) = 𝑎𝑎∗ ,  𝑏𝑏(𝑡𝑡∗ ) = ℎ. (4)

Solving the system of differential equations (3) subjected to the initial and final conditions (4), of the changes of
the semi-axes of the elliptical crack front are obtained as follows:

𝑎𝑎(𝑡𝑡) = 𝑎𝑎0 + 10−3 (1,03𝑡𝑡 + 0,23𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡0 + 0,01𝑡𝑡 2 ), 

(5)
𝑏𝑏(𝑡𝑡) = 𝑏𝑏0 + 10−3 (1,03𝑡𝑡 + 0,23𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡0 + 0,01𝑡𝑡 2 ).

Applying the final condition (4) to the solution for b(t) in (5), the next equation for the residual lifetime t* is
obtained:

𝑡𝑡∗2 + (103 + 23𝑡𝑡0 )𝑡𝑡∗ − 105 (ℎ − 𝑏𝑏0 ) = 0. (6)

 Ivan Shtoyko et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 16 (2019) 148–152 151
4 Ivan Shtoyko, Jesús Toribio, Viktor Kharin, Myroslava Hredil / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000–000

Its solution that determines the pipe residual lifetime reads:

𝑡𝑡∗ = −0,5(103 + 23𝑡𝑡0 ) + √0,25(103 + 23𝑡𝑡0 )2 + 105 (ℎ − 𝑏𝑏0 ). (7)

Fig. 2. Dependence of the pipe residual lifetime t0 on the initial crack depth b0 and on the initial operation time of a pipe t0: the curves 1 to 6
correspond to the values t0 = 0, 4, 8, 15, 25 and 35 years, respectively.

Basing on the formula (7), the graph of pipe residual lifetime 𝑡𝑡∗ dependence on the initial crack depth b0 and the
initial operation time 𝑡𝑡0 is displayed on the Figure 2. The evaluation of such crack behaviour was carried out in a
time interval of 0 ≤ 𝑡𝑡 ≤ 𝑡𝑡∗ where 𝑡𝑡∗ = 9,76 years. As well, the series of the contours of the propagating semi-
elliptical crack having the initial dimensions 𝑎𝑎0 = 0,002 m and 𝑏𝑏0 = 0,001 m is shown on Figure 3 for 𝑡𝑡0 = 0.

Fig. 3. Crack contours dependent on the residual lifetime: the curves 1 to 6 correspond to the values 𝑡𝑡∗ = 0, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 9.76 years, respectively.

This way, solving the system of the differential equations with the initial and final conditions for determination of
the changes of the crack semi-axes, the relation was obtained to determine the pipe residual lifetime. Based on it, the
dependences of pipe residual lifetime on initial crack depth and pipe operation time were derived and it could be
concluded that the pipe residual lifetime strongly depends on its initial operation time.

3. Summary

The calculation model to predict the residual lifetime of the pipe with a crack was developed considering in-
service degradation of the pipeline steel and the effect of soil corrosion. In this model, a crack in the pipe under the
influence of the corrosion environment and gas internal pressure was considered. Based on experimental data for the
studied pipeline steel, it was accepted that cracks in the steel under considered conditions propagated at constant
velocity, which values were different for the non-operated pipeline steel and for the steel after 30 years of operation.
152 Ivan Shtoyko et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 16 (2019) 148–152
Ivan Shtoyko, Jesús Toribio, Viktor Kharin, Myroslava Hredil / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000–000 5

The problem was analysed basing on the first law of thermodynamics, and it was reduced to a certain mathematical
model in terms of the differential equation system. Solving the system of the derived differential equations with the
initial and final conditions for determination of the changes of the crack semi-axes, the relation was obtained to
determine the pipe residual lifetime. Based on it, the dependence of pipe residual lifetime on initial crack depth and
pipe operation time was derived. It was concluded that the residual lifetime of the pipe strongly depended on its
initial operation time.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the NATO in the Science for Peace and Security Programme under the Project
G5055.

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