Inner Pressure Testing of Full-Scale Pipe Samples

Abstract

This chapter describes the experimental tests performed with the aim of studying the reinforcement effects of a given repair system using composite material wraps intended for a damaged transmission pipeline (for petroleum, liquid petroleum products or natural gas), with defects of the metal loss type (also named volumetric surface defects). These tests have been defined based on the considerations presented in Chapter “Development of an Experimental Programme for Industrial Approbation”, which details the material selection, the testing conditions and the objectives of our experiments. The sequence of the comparative hydraulic inner pressure tests, performed on full-scale samples, is detailed below. Our experiments were aimed on simulation of a pipeline under the following four conditions: as-delivered, damaged, repaired using a composite material wrap and reinforced on its entire length with composite materials . All samples have been loaded up to fracture. The properties of material used for the pipe manufacturing and the main results of hydraulic tests are also present. Based on the experimental results, presented in this chapter, an efficiency assessment (including numerical simulations using finite element method) of the investigated composite repair system has been also performed and it will be presented in Chapter “Effectiveness Assessment of Composite Repair Systems”.