Limit loads and fracture mechanics parameters for thick-walled pipes

In this paper, information on plastic limit loads and both elastic and elastic-plastic fracture mechanics parameters is given for cracked thick-walled pipes with mean radius-to-thickness ratios ranging from two to five. It is found that existing limit load expressions for thin-walled pipes can be applied to thick-walled pipes, provided that they are normalized with respect to the corresponding un-cracked thick-walled pipe values. For elastic fracture mechanics parameters, FE values of the influence functions for the stress intensity factor and the crack opening displacement are tabulated. For elastic-plastic J, it is shown that existing reference stress based J estimates can be applied, provided that a proper limit load for thick-walled pipes is used.

► This paper presents plastic limit loads and fracture mechanics parameters for cracked thick-walled pipes. ► We found that limit load expressions for thin-walled pipes can be applied to thick-walled pipes, when properly re-normalized. ► We provide tabulated elastic fracture mechanics parameters from FE results. ► We found that existing reference stress based J estimates can be applied, when a proper limit load is used.