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The significance of girth-weld defects as determined by wide-plate testing

Book ·
OSTI ID:287788
; ;  [1]
  1. CRC-Evans Automatic Welding, Houston, TX (United States)

The research described in this paper was directed toward determining the effects and significance of various types of out-of-tolerance weld defects on the fracture-initiation resistance of pipeline girth welds. Girth welds were deposited with the CRC-Evans Automatic Welding system in 1,219-mm diameter, 14.3-mm-wall, API 5L X-70 pipe using deliberately poor welding parameters and welding techniques to induce weld defects much larger than actually occur in construction. Wide-plate tension specimens cut from these welds were prepared and tested by Professor Dr. Rudy Denys at Universiteit Gent, Belgium. This research showed that severe planar and volumetric (porosity) defects did not adversely affect the fracture initiation resistance of the girth welds. The adequate wide-plate performances were due to the good weld metal toughness and the fact that the weld metal yield strength exceeded the pipe yield strength (overmatched).

OSTI ID:
287788
Report Number(s):
CONF-960154--; ISBN 0-9648731-8-4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English