Elastic–plastic analysis of offset indentations on unpressurised pipes

The results of investigations to determine the elastic–plastic behaviour of unpressurised pipes with long offset indentations and unsymmetric support conditions are presented in this paper. They include the results of experimental tests, FE analyses and analytical methods. Three different materials and five different geometries are used to investigate their effects on the behaviour. A comparison of the experimental results, FE and analytical solutions indicates that the general analytical formulation developed in this paper for predicting the peak indenter loads in offset indented pipes, is reasonably accurate. Also, the analyses presented in this paper indicate that using a representative nominal flow stress, which is the average of yield and ultimate tensile stresses, in the analytical method, is appropriate for predicting the peak indenter loads.