Anisotropic effects on crack propagation in pressurized line pipes under running ductile fracture scenarios

The current analyses present results of running ductile fracture propagation in high strength X100 line pipe steels under the influence of anisotropy. Mechanical anisotropy is commonly available in pipe products as a result of the manufacturing process, especially, those subjected to hot/cold-worked deformation. The outcomes of the present analyses show that its effect on the behavior of running ductile fracture in cracked pipes undergoing depressurization is meaningful. For instance, the Crack-Tip Opening Angle (CTOA) not only exhibits a strong dependence to the pipe’s diameter size, but also to the material’s anisotropy nature when compared to a hypothetical isotropic material. Moreover, laboratory scale tests such as those performed on Battelle Drop Weight Tear (BDWT) samples provide useful information about initiation of ductile crack propagation when the anisotropy features are taken into account in the material description.