Effects of specimen geometry and loading mode on crack growth resistance curves of a high-strength pipeline girth weld

• Experimental investigation of ductile tearing properties for a pipeline girth weld.
• Shallow-crack SE(B) and clamped SE(T) specimens provide similar J–R curves.
• Little influence of the clamp distance on J–R curves for clamped SE(T) specimens.
• Levels of 10–20% weld overmatch do not affect significantly J-resistance curves.
• The UC method underestimates crack extension for shallow crack SE(B) specimens.

This work presents an investigation of the ductile tearing properties for a girth weld made of an API 5L X80 pipeline steel using experimentally measured crack growth resistance curves. Use of these materials is motivated by the increasing demand in the number of applications for manufacturing high strength pipes for the oil and gas industry including marine applications and steel catenary risers. Testing of the pipeline girth welds employed side-grooved, clamped SE(T) specimens and shallow crack bend SE(B) specimens with a weld centerline notch to determine the crack growth resistance curves based upon the unloading compliance (UC) method using the single specimen technique. Recently developed compliance functions and η-factors applicable for SE(T) and SE(B) fracture specimens with homogeneous material and overmatched welds are introduced to determine crack growth resistance data from laboratory measurements of load-displacement records.