Surface Crack Growth in Metallic Pipes Reinforced with Composite Repair System

Abstract

Surface cracks are serious threats to the structural integrity of offshore metallic pipes. This dissertation proposes a protocol of composite reinforcement on surface cracked metallic pipes subjected to cyclic loads, aiming to decrease the crack growth rate and prolong the residual fatigue life. The main objective of this dissertation is to reveal the mechanism of the composite reinforcement on surface crack growth in metallic pipes, in order to develop/improve the associated CRS standards. For this purpose, a series of investigations to determine the crack growth behaviour and possible failure modes have been conducted through numerical and experimental approaches. Finally, an analytical method is proposed to evaluate the Stress Intensity Factor (SIF) of the surface crack in metallic pipes reinforced with CRS.