Fracture analysis of hydrogen-embrittled API X52 pipes at low temperature

This paper quantifies the effect of temperature (ranging from room temperature (RT) to -90 °C) on fracture toughness for hydrogen-embrittled API X52 by combining small punch (SP) test data and finite element (FE) damage analysis. For the FE damage analysis, a multi-axial fracture strain damage model was used, and the parameters were determined by analyzing the tensile and SEN(T) test data in air at RT. The hydrogen-enhanced ductile fracture was considered using the hydrogen-embrittlement constant, which was determined by analyzing the SP test results in hydrogen. Due to the effect of the interaction between strength and hydrogen-induced ductility loss on fracture toughness, the predicted fracture toughness in terms of temperature does not show a monotonic decrease up to -90 °C; rather, it decreases up to -30 °C, then increases slightly before decreasing again. Fracture mechanics analysis of a hydrogen-embrittled pipe with an axial surface crack using the determined fracture toughness values showed that the maximum pressure decreased slightly (less than 9 %) with decreasing temperature up to -90 °C, suggesting that the effect of temperature on the maximum pressure would not be so significant for API X52.