IMPACT OF STRUCTURAL DEFECTS ON THE RELIABILITY OF POLYMER PIPES REINFORCED WITH METAL BELTS

Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP; or Flexible Composite Pipes) are multilayered pipes that consist of inner, outer polymer shell and reinforcement layers. Although there are different types of reinforcement, due to widespread use in oil gathering systems in Russia, we consider steel strip reinforced pipes in this paper. While developing RTP manufacturers state constructive characteristics after conducting analytical analysis and experimental investigations. Final characteristics values are then published in technical regulations documents. Deviation from these values weaken strength of pipeline.As a result of conducted research it was shown that a thinning of a reinforcement strip by 0,1 mm leads to decrease in a burst pressure by 16 %. Similar effect on the pipe reliability has a deviation of the winding angle.