Session: 03-04-01 Advancements in Pipeline Remediation Solutions and Coatings

Paper Number: 86760

86760 - Literature Review of Repair Technologies for Wrinkled Pipelines 

Wrinkles on a pipeline, whether produced intentionally by construction methods of vintage pipelines or unintentionally by bending loads from subsurface geotechnical movements, introduce significant stress concentration factors. However, common remediation options usually cannot be utilized given the protruding wrinkle geometry (e.g. steel sleeves), or are costly and can introduce additional safety concerns (e.g. pipe replacement). In the last three decades, numerous composite repair technologies have been developed that take the form of the underlying structure and, thus, may provide an alternative for this application. The development and evaluation of these repair technologies to-date have focused on restoring axial defects in pipelines (i.e. hoop reinforcement), culminating in the development of ASME PCC 2 and ISO 24817. However, composite repairs used to restore the bending capacity of wrinkled pipe are less common and appear to be completed on a case-specific basis. Therefore, this literature review consolidates the current state of knowledge regarding the effects of composite repairs on the bending load capacity of pipes. The reviewed literature identified 12 studies (utilizing finite element analysis, full-scale testing, or a combination of both) that investigated composite repairs on wrinkled pipe or composite repairs under bending loads. Typically, for pipe with non-sharp flaws (e.g. corrosion or wrinkles), the bending capacity of the repaired pipe is increased near or beyond that of pristine pipe. The latter case usually results in a formation of a new wrinkle outside of the repaired pipe section. Most repairs have also been shown to prevent significant plastic deformation of the base pipe beneath the repair. However, for this application, uncertainties remain regarding the effect of pipe pressure during repair installation, establishing a widely utilized design methodology, and optimizing the balance of hoop versus axial reinforcement provided by the repair to prevent ovalization and increase the bend load capacity. These gaps present opportunities for future studies to further improve the performance of composite repairs for this application.

Presenting Author: Tyler Johnson C-FER Technologies

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Johnson comes from a mechanical engineering background with over a decade of experience in R&D, focusing on developing novel experimental systems and instrumentation. He completed his MSc at the University of Alberta and PhD at the University of Cambridge. Since joining C FER in 2014, Dr. Johnson has contributed to or led multiple joint industry projects to review, evaluate and independently test commercial or emerging technologies for non-welding pipeline repairs, in-situ pipe leak detection, airborne pipeline leak detection and oil spill response equipment. He has also led numerous projects to evaluate materials and structural designs for their end application using analytical techniques, as well as small- and large-scale destructive testing. Dr. Johnson is currently the project manager and principal researcher for a JIP evaluating non-welded repair technologies for circumferential defects in pipelines.