Session: 04-01-02 Flexible Pipes and Umbilicals II

Paper Number: 79419

79419 - Experimental Strain Field Assessment of Pressure Armor Profiles Subjected to Compression Loads via Digital Image Correlation 

The pressure armor layer of a flexible pipe is designed to resist radial loads mainly. This layer is normally composed by a pair of helically wound interlocked wires presenting a small pitch. Despite the diversity of analytical and numerical studies, some absence of experimental results to evaluate the behavior of this reinforcement layer may be noted. One of the reasons for this lack of experimental studies is the difficulty in accessing and instrumenting this structural layer, particularly when internal contact strain fields are concerned. This study proposes a simple experiment to assess the strain fields of typical pressure armor wire profiles subjected to compressive loads. Using a DIC (Digital Image Correlation) system, the experimental campaign aims to map the strain distribution in a 2:1 scaled sample of a typical wire profile. This technique allows identifying maximum strain values in the cross-section and more specifically in the contact regions between the pressure armor wires. Experimental results are compared with numerical predictions obtained from a Finite Element model. This work is believed to provide a better understanding of the structural behavior of the pressure armor layer. The experimental methodology developed from this assessment aims at complementing those currently found in the specialized technical literature and in the industrial sector.

Presenting Author: Caio C. P. Santos Offshore Mechanics Laboratory from the University of Sao Paulo (LMO-USP)

Authors:

Caio C. P. Santos Offshore Mechanics Laboratory from the University of Sao Paulo (LMO-USP)
Celso Pupo Pesce Offshore Mechanics Laboratory from the University of Sao Paulo (LMO-USP)
Rafael G. Savioli Offshore Mechanics Laboratory from the University of Sao Paulo (LMO-USP)
Diego Sarzosa Burgos Offshore Mechanics Laboratory from the University of Sao Paulo (LMO-USP)
George Carneiro Campello CENPES/PETROBRAS
Thiago Brun Coser CENPES/PETROBRAS
Rodolfo F. De Souza CENPES/PETROBRAS