Prediction for Plastic Collapse Stresses for Pipes With Inner and Outer Circumferential Flaws

Bending stresses at incipient plastic collapse for pipes with circumferential surface flaws are predicted by net-section stress approach. Appendix C-5320 of ASME B&PV Code Section XI provides a formula of bending stress at the plastic collapse, where the formula is applicable for both inner and outer surface flaws. That is, the collapse stresses for pipes with inner and outer surface flaws are the same, because of the pipe mean radius at the flawed section being entirely the same. Authors considered the separated pipe mean radii at the flawed ligament and at the un-flawed ligament. Based on the balances of axial force and bending moment, formulas of plastic collapse stresses for each inner and outer flawed pipe were obtained. It is found that, when the flaw angle and depth are the same, the collapse stress for inner flawed pipe is slightly higher than that calculated by Appendix C-5320 formula, and the collapse stress for outer flawed pipe is slightly lower than that by Appendix C-5320 formula, as can be expected. The collapse stresses derived from the three formulas are almost the same in most instances. For less common case where the flaw angle and depth are very large for thick wall pipes, the differences amongst the three collapse stresses become large.