Design, Development, and Testing of Optimized Composite Soft Crack Arrestors

Overview

Main Objective

The development of the "Soft Crack Arrestor" validated design procedure will allow this device to be used for a wide variety of natural gas and liquid CO2‚ pipeline projects. This device will reduce the risk associated with catastrophic fracture of large-diameter natural gas or liquid CO2‚ pipelines.

Public Abstract

Engineering Mechanics Corporation of Columbus Phase II work scope focuses on continuing development of "Soft Crack Arrestors" through additional key material property, detailed analytical refinement of the design, and full-scale pipe validation testing. This material testing will be done over a range of temperatures to cover extreme conditions for future pipeline designs, with special attention to arctic applications. It is also essential to develop this data at the loading rates that arrestors will experience during a crack arrest event. With the material property data, the Engineering Mechanics Corporation of Columbus crack arrestor design criterion will be used to design arrestors for subsequent full-scale validation. Engineering Mechanics Corporation of Columbus also has the only high-energy full-scale burst test facility in North America for conducting large-diameter pipe fracture and crack arrestor experiments. Engineering Mechanics Corporation of Columbus has been involved in conducting high-rate laboratory testing, as well as full-scale pipe crack arrestor testing in a series of proprietary research programs for various pipeline companies. In prior testing, Engineering Mechanics Corporation of Columbus has also developed and published a design criterion for crack arrestors based on strength considerations, whereas the new Engineering Mechanics Corporation of Columbus patent for "Soft Crack Arrest" covers ductility requirements as well.

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