The objective of this research program was to obtain an understanding of fracture initiation and propagation in an underwater pipeline. A single experiment was conducted using a modified West Jefferson test consisting of a "test" vessel inside a larger "containment" vessel. The smaller vessel consisted of a flawed length of line pipe containing water and an air pocket in the same manner as a conventional West Jefferson test. The larger vessel contained water to a level above the test pipe and a shock-absorbing air pocket such that it could be pressurized to exert external pressure...
The objective of this research program was to obtain an understanding of fracture initiation and propagation in an underwater pipeline. A single experiment was conducted using a modified West Jefferson test consisting of a "test" vessel inside a larger "containment" vessel. The smaller vessel consisted of a flawed length of line pipe containing water and an air pocket in the same manner as a conventional West Jefferson test. The larger vessel contained water to a level above the test pipe and a shock-absorbing air pocket such that it could be pressurized to exert external pressure on the test vessel to simulate any given depth of water.