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Title: Diversity in underwater inspection

Abstract

Underwater nondestructive testing (NDT) of deepwater structures provides a diverse, hostile, and challenging means to implement NDT. Given a warm, shallow water with good visibility, working underwater approaches the category of ``I get paid for this.`` This environment allows for identical reliability as ``topside`` NDT. Underwater visual, magnetic particle, and ultrasonic testing have been in place since the early 1980s, with equipment modified for submergence and closely resembling topside NDT tools. However, deepwater structures represent the most unique of NDT considerations. In the Gulf of Mexico, there are approximately 15 fixed structures installed at a depth of 243--400 m. This article describes safety, technical, and commercial issues relating to inspecting deepwater structures and focuses especially on a comparison of remote operated vehicles (ROVs) and atmospheric diving suits (ADSs). Deepwater structures have excellent records of structural integrity with an extremely low incidence of corrosion or fatigue cracking problems. The primary reason for developing deepwater NDT capabilities is contingency for damage during installation impact damage from dropped objects. There are three means used for underwater NDT: diving, atmospheric diving suits (ADSs), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Sea Test Services, Merritt Island, FL (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
218512
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Materials Evaluation
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 54; Journal Issue: 3; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES; UNDERWATER FACILITIES; NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING; REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT; PROTECTIVE CLOTHING; DIVING OPERATIONS; LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS; OFFSHORE OPERATIONS; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS

Citation Formats

Goldberg, L. Diversity in underwater inspection. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
Goldberg, L. Diversity in underwater inspection. United States.
Goldberg, L. 1996. "Diversity in underwater inspection". United States.
@article{osti_218512,
title = {Diversity in underwater inspection},
author = {Goldberg, L},
abstractNote = {Underwater nondestructive testing (NDT) of deepwater structures provides a diverse, hostile, and challenging means to implement NDT. Given a warm, shallow water with good visibility, working underwater approaches the category of ``I get paid for this.`` This environment allows for identical reliability as ``topside`` NDT. Underwater visual, magnetic particle, and ultrasonic testing have been in place since the early 1980s, with equipment modified for submergence and closely resembling topside NDT tools. However, deepwater structures represent the most unique of NDT considerations. In the Gulf of Mexico, there are approximately 15 fixed structures installed at a depth of 243--400 m. This article describes safety, technical, and commercial issues relating to inspecting deepwater structures and focuses especially on a comparison of remote operated vehicles (ROVs) and atmospheric diving suits (ADSs). Deepwater structures have excellent records of structural integrity with an extremely low incidence of corrosion or fatigue cracking problems. The primary reason for developing deepwater NDT capabilities is contingency for damage during installation impact damage from dropped objects. There are three means used for underwater NDT: diving, atmospheric diving suits (ADSs), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/218512}, journal = {Materials Evaluation},
number = 3,
volume = 54,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}