Effect of Manufacturing Process on Lined Pipe Bending Response1

Abstract

The effects of manufacturing process on mechanically lined pipe structural performance are investigated. Alternative manufacturing processes are considered, associated with either purely hydraulic or thermo-hydraulic expansion. The problem is solved numerically, accounting for geometric nonlinearities, local buckling phenomena, inelastic material behavior and contact between the two pipes. A three-dimensional model is developed, which simulates the manufacturing process in the first stage of the analysis and, subsequently, proceeds in the bending analysis of the lined pipe. This integrated two-stage approach constitutes the major contribution of the present research. Thermo-hydraulically expanded lined pipes are examined, with special emphasis on the case of partially heated liners, and reverse plastic loading in the liner pipe wall has been detected during depressurization. Furthermore, the numerical results show that the thermo-mechanical process results in higher mechanical bonding between the two pipes compared with the purely mechanical process and that this bonding is significantly influenced by the level of temperature in the liner pipe. It is also concluded that the value of initial gap between the two pipes before fabrication has a rather small effect on the value of liner buckling curvature. Finally, numerical results on imperfection sensitivity are reported for different manufacturing processes, and the beneficial effect of internal pressure on liner bending response is verified.