Analysis of the residual life of a defective pipeline for transporting hydrogen-containing environments

Keywords

pipeline, hydrogen concentration, internal pressure, semi-elliptical crack, fracture resistance, analytical approach, residual life.

Cite as

Chepil O. Ya., Soviak I. M., and Syrotyuk A. M. Analysis of the residual life of a defective pipeline for transporting hydrogen-containing environments. Physicochemical Mechanics of Materials. 2025. 61(5), 081-089.

https://doi.org/10.15407/pcmm2025.05.081

Abstract

An analytical approach to evaluating the residual life N_fс of a defective pipeline element is proposed. The analytical approach considers the effects of the internal pressure (p) of a hydrogen-containing operating environment, defect geometry (axis ratio a/c), and the total hydrogen concentration in the metal (С_H). Experimentally determined cyclic fracture resistance parameters – the threshold ΔK_th and critical ΔK_fc stress intensity factor ranges, as well as the Paris law constants A and n, were approximated by analytical relations as functions of С_H. This enabled the derivation of closed-form dependences for residual life N_f without numerical simulation. A parametric analysis was conducted over a wide range of pressure p, axis ratios a/c, and С_H values, allowing for the assessment of their influence on the residual life of the structural element. The obtained analy­tical relations can be used for engineering assessment of the safe service life of pipelines.

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