Abstract
Long-distance gas pipelines are the most common means of transporting natural gas resources. However, the propagation of longitudinal ductile fractures in gas pipelines can result in catastrophic accidents, which must be avoided as much as possible. Crack arrestors can prevent or at least limit the rapid spread of longitudinal cracks by constraining the outwall of pipelines. Carbon fiber-reinforced composite material is one of the best candidates for crack arrestors because of its excellent strength and toughness. However, due to the significant variations in composite material performance, clear design criteria for determining the size of crack arrestors have not yet been developed. This paper presents a comprehensive design procedure for determining the geometrical parameters of composite material crack arrestors based on a finite element model of dynamic pipeline fractures under crack arrestor constraints. Pipeline crack propagation is accomplished using the cohesive zone model, and composite material failure is defined by Hashin criteria. A series of numerical simulations are conducted to assess the ability of crack arrestors to stop a growing crack in a gas pipeline. Ultimately, the minimum wall thickness and axial length of the effective crack arrestor are determined. The proposed design procedure enables the numerical design of composite material crack arrestors and supports safe pipeline operation.
Published Version
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