The FEM Simulation and Full-Scale Blast Tests for Crack Deceleration in Gas Pipeline

Preventing pipeline from rapid crack propagation is a critical issue to avoid casualties and disasters. In this paper, by combining the energy balance theory with FEM simulation and arrest criteria, the numerical analysis is developed to solve the problem of crack dynamic propagation in gas pipeline. This simulation, in combination with the full-scale blast tests, provides a broad prediction of the dynamic fracture process. The crack tip opening angle (CTOA) criterion is consummated through the comparison between CTOA in FEM calculation and the critical value of (CTOA)C obtained by the experiment. The result of the simulation for the crack speed and location is consistent with data by Alliance and Japanese full-scale blast tests.