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Abstract Rising demand for thermoplastic composite pipes (TCPs) in the oil and gas industry is due to their lightweight, strength, and resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC). TCPs are utilized in hybrid flexible pipes, replacing steel armors, particularly in the central core, to withstand pressure in deepwater operations. In this context, this study proposes a finite element model to predict the potential collapse of TCPs under external pressure. The finite element (FE) model was developed using ANSYS®, employing three-dimensional solid elements to represent the layers of the pipes. Parametric analyses were conducted to assess the effects of initial ovalities and explore some laminate combinations. Additionally, some failure criteria for composite materials are employed to predict collapse pressure and compare it with the results derived from the finite element model. In these analyses, lay-ups with higher winding angles have shown improved performance. However, it notes that axial resistance decreases with higher winding angles, emphasizing the importance of fiber orientations due to complex loads in risers. Initial ovality impacts deformation more than the capacity for collapse loads. Finally, the failure criteria aligned well with the FE model, with Tsai-Wu demonstrating better accuracy.
Freitas et al. (Sun,) studied this question.