The objective of the SPIM-1-2 project was to identify and evaluate the most promising technologies for detecting and sizing fatigue cracks on heavy wall pipelines and risers, preferably without liquid coupling. To complete this evaluation, six full-scale heavy wall pipe samples were fabricated, and a range of fatigue cracks generated in circumferential welds using resonant fatigue. These samples were used in blind test trials on several available inspection technologies in a pull-through testbed. The technologies were evaluated on their ability to detect and size the fatigue cracks generated...
The objective of the SPIM-1-2 project was to identify and evaluate the most promising technologies for detecting and sizing fatigue cracks on heavy wall pipelines and risers, preferably without liquid coupling. To complete this evaluation, six full-scale heavy wall pipe samples were fabricated, and a range of fatigue cracks generated in circumferential welds using resonant fatigue. These samples were used in blind test trials on several available inspection technologies in a pull-through testbed. The technologies were evaluated on their ability to detect and size the fatigue cracks generated from resonant fatigue. At the conclusion of the SPIM-1-2 project, the fatigue cracks in the heavy-wall circumferential welds were available to PRCI members to continue testing and development of inspection technologies.
At the conclusion of the SPIM-1-2 project, the actual fatigue crack locations and sizes were not included in the final reports to protect the blind nature of the six pipes samples. A follow-up effort under NDE-2-2 was conducted to gather metallurgical truth for several of the fatigue cracks and generate a comprehensive report that evaluated the inspection technology results from SPIM-1-2 against this truth data.