Theory for accelerated slow crack propagation in polyethylene fuel pipes. Final report, April 1984-March 1987

Technical Report · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5727005

Moet, A; Chudnovsky, A

A test procedure was designed which makes possible the observation of the entire crack-propagation history of 2306-IIC MDPE fuel gas pipe within about five days. The test specimen is an arc cut from the pipe and exposed to fatigue loading. Fractographic analysis reveals that the crack propagates by a dominantly brittle mechanism which becomes progressively more ductile until ultimate failure by tearing. Employing the crack layer theory, the specific enthalpy of brittle fracture was found to be about 800KJ/cu m. This quantity is a candidate parameter for characterizing the material's resistance to brittle crack propagation.

• Research Organization: Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (USA). Dept. of Macromolecular Science
• OSTI ID: 5727005
• Report Number(s): PB-88-141577/XAB
• Resource Relation: Other Information: See also Annual Report for 1984-87, PB--86-136454
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS
PIPELINES
NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
PIPES
POLYETHYLENES
CRACK PROPAGATION
FRACTOGRAPHY
FUELS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
GAS FUELS
GASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
032000* - Natural Gas- Transport
Handling
& Storage