Development of an improved limit pressure solution for shape-distorted 90o pipe bends with through-wall circumferential cracks

Purpose This paper presents the approximate limit pressure solution for shape-imperfect and through-wall circumferential cracked (TWCC) 90° pipe bends at the intrados region. Finite element (FE) limit analysis was used to estimate the limit pressure by considering the small geometrical change effects. Design/methodology/approach Three-dimensional (3D) geometric linear FE methodology was implemented to investigate the limit pressure of structurally deformed TWCC 90° pipe bends. The material considered in the analysis is elastic perfectly plastic (EPP). The limit pressure of TWCC shape-distorted pipe bends was predicted from the corresponding internal pressure when von-Mises stress was equal to or just exceeded the material’s yield strength for all the models. The theoretical solution which was published in the literature was used to evaluate the current FE approach. Findings Ovality C o and TWCC at the intrados region caused a considerable impact on pipe bends, while the thinning? C t produced a negligible effect and hence was not included in the analysis. With the combined effect, the bend portion of pipe bend experiences substantial influence, and the TWCC effect consequently increases with 45 o , 60 o and 90 o crack angles and decreases the limit pressure of pipe bends. An improved closed-form empirical limit pressure solution was proposed for TWCC shape-distorted pipe bends at the intrados region. Originality/value In the limit pressure analysis of 90° pipe bends, the implications of structural irregularities (ovality and thinning) and TWCC have not been examined and reported.