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ML00012 - Aug.2017

Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS

Aspect of the internal surface of the 2" nominal diameter pipe, SCH 40, presenting a circumferential through wall cracking in the pipe, not associated to any of the welded joints. It is possible to see the cracking parallel to the two welded joints: the pipe to weldolet (left side of the figure); and the pipe to flange (right side of the figure).

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Aspect of the of the 2" , 40, presenting a circumferential in the , not associated to any of the . It is possible to see the parallel to the two : the to (left side of the figure); and the to (right side of the figure).
M

Material

Austenitic Stainless Steel
  • AISI Dual grade 316/316L
  • UNS S31600
  • UNS S31603
Ds

Description

The 2” , composed by a welded to a and to a , was supporting an instrument in a branch of a 12” gas line operating at 30°C/40°C. The occurred because a unique initiated at the , in a region of a small pit, and propagated through wall with a straight morphology. The failure occurred by a VIBRATION INDUCED mechanism. The raiser at the pipe external surface is a 0.3 mm depth pit associated to a marine environment.

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Chemistry (% in weight)

Pipe Analysis

0.030C; 0.36Si; 1.64Mn; 0.043P; 0.028S; 16.5Cr; 10.2Ni; 2.1Mo.

Associated Images
General view of the 2" branch line that was supporting an instrument in a 12" gas piping of an offshore unity. The branch line is composed by a seamless pipe welded to a weldolet (left side of the figure) and to a flange (right side of the figure). The leakage is associated to a through wall cracking in the middle of the pipe length. The cracking is not evidenced in the figure, since it is too thin. See the schematic drawing in the next figure
494
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - General View
Schematic drawing presenting the general view of the 2" branch line that was supporting an instrument in a 12" gas piping of an offshore unity.
94
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Identification drawingDf - General View
Aspect of the internal surface of the pipe after longitudinal cutting, presenting a straight cracking, circumferential. The weldolet is to the left side and the flange is to the right side. See the schematic drawing in the next figure.
89
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Internal Surface
Schematic drawing presenting the cracking surface aspect.
71
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Identification drawingDf - Internal Surface
Aspect of the internal surface of the 2" nominal diameter pipe, SCH 40, presenting a circumferential through wall cracking in the pipe, not associated to any of the welded joints. It is possible to see the cracking parallel to the two welded joints: the pipe to weldolet (left side of the figure); and the pipe to flange (right side of the figure).
64
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Through Wall Cracking
Aspect of the internal surface of the 2" nominal diameter pipe, SCH 40, presenting a circumferential through wall cracking in the pipe, not associated to any of the welded joints. It is possible to see the cracking parallel to the two welded joints: the pipe to weldolet (left side of the figure); and the pipe to flange (right side of the figure).
57
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Through Wall Cracking
Circumferential cracking in the middle of the pipe, view from the external side. Several pits close to the cracking.
57
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - External Surface
After opening the cracking the fracture surface aspect evidences fatigue cracking propagation, starting from the external side (OD).
68
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Fracture Surface AspectDf - Fatigue Fracture
Micrography of a longitudinal section of the pipe (seamless), that shows the through wall cracking, straigth and not associated to any welded region or microstructural problem.
64
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by OM using A262 Method ADf - Through Wall Cracking
Micrography of the pipe in a longitudinal section, close to the external surface, showing a pit (adjacent to the through wall cracking). The corrosion spt is not associated to any microstructural feature.
61
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by OMDf - Pitting
Micrography of a longitudinal section of the pipe presenting a granular austenitic structure, typical of a solid solution annealing condition. No carbide precipitation.
61
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by OM using A262 Method ADf - Austenite
Aspect of a micrographic sample by scanning electron microscopy showing the external pipe surface, in the bottom, the fracture at the left side of the figure and several spots of pitting corrosion from the external surface. The polished section (transverse to the fracture and in a longitudinal section of the pipe) shows the morphology of the pit , 0.2 mm depth. Original magnification 50x.
54
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Micrography by SEMDf - Pitting
Fracture aspect after opening the cracking, in the location where the fatigue cracking was iniciated. There is a pitting corrosion, 0.3 mm depth.
58
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Fatigue Crack
Detail of the fatigue fracture iniciation point, at the surface, in a pitting corrosion 0.3 mm depth.
58
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Pitting
Fractographic detail of the pitting corrosion in the region of iniciation of the fatigue cracking, at the external surface of the pipe.
52
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Pitting
Detail of the fatigue fracture propagation, with striation micromechanism.
48
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Fatigue Striation
Fractographic detail of fatigue striation.
41
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Fatigue Striation
Pipe view from the external side. Pitting corrosion.
42
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Surface Aspect by SEMDf - External Surface
Detail of the external surface aspect showing localized corrosion.
51
VIEW
ML00012 / Aug.2017
Vibration Induced Fatigue in a 316/316L SS
M - Austenitic Stainless SteelP - Seamless PipeAp - OffshoreCd - Vibration Induced Fatigue
Cm - Surface Aspect by SEMDf - Pitting