A novel correlation models for predicting stress intensity factor of semi-elliptical crack in welded pipelines under cyclic internal pressure based on Bézier base XIGA

Abstract

Pipelines are strategic infrastructures that are used for energy transfer in the world. Cracks in the residual stress field are the common defects in welded pipelines. These defects with cyclic internal pressure cause crack growth and decrease the fatigue life of pipelines. In this study, a novel correlation model is proposed to predict the stress intensity factor (SIF) of the semi-elliptical crack front in welded steel pipeline subjected to cyclic internal pressure. For this purpose, the Bézier extraction base extended isogeometric method is applied for numerical analysis and preparing a database of results based on the thermo elastic-plastic equation. Taguchi standard L25 orthogonal array was used as the analysis design to create the simulations. New correlations were proposed for SIF prediction using the multivariate linear regression method. These correlations were obtained based on a parametric study that included three parameters. These parameters are dimensionless crack geometry (a/c), pipe geometry (D/t), and loading (P/Pb) or (σres/E). The R-Square (R2) values of the presented model for the welding residual stress and cyclic internal pressure were obtained as 0.989 and 0.992, respectively. The results of FEM analysis with similar conditions were compared to the results of XIGA and correlation models to validate the presented method. The maximum difference between them is approximately 3.71% for the cyclic internal pressure, and 2.94% for the welding residual stress. RMSD for the cyclic internal pressure model is 0.49, and for the welding residual stress model is 0.51. Therefore, the proposed correlation models have acceptable accuracy in predicting the SIF and fatigue crack propagation rate of the semi-elliptical crack in the steel pipes.