Investigations on the applicability of crack arrest predictions for high strength linepipe at low temperatures

Fracture propagation in gas transmission pipelines is a major concern for the operation of high pressure lines. Therefore, the resistance against propagating fractures is one of the main requirements for these pipes. To date, ductile fracture resistance is commonly measured with Charpy impact tests and the most widely applied concept to predict pipe behaviour is the Battelle Two Curve (BTC) method which was developed in the 1980s on basis of the material available at that time. Limitations of this methodology have been shown in the last decade, especially on grades exceeding X80, for which it was not possible to yield reliable predictions. Recent full scale tests on X80 for arctic conditions underlined this once again.