Plastic collapse stresses based on flaw combination rules for pipes containing two circumferential similar flaws

Abstract

When discrete multiple flaws are in the same plane, and they are close to each other, it can be determined whether they are combined or standalone in accordance with combination rules provided by fitness-for-service (FFS) codes. However, specific criteria of the rules are different among these FFS codes. On the other hand, plastic collapse bending stresses for stainless steel pipes with two circumferential similar flaws were obtained by experiments, and the prediction procedure for collapse stresses for pipes with two similar flaws was developed analytically. Using the experimental data and the analytical procedure, plastic collapse stresses for pipes with two similar flaws are compared with the stresses in compliance with the flaw combination criteria. It is shown that the calculated plastic collapse stresses based on the flaw combination criteria are significantly different from the experimental and analytical stresses.