SCF equations in multi-planar welded tubular DT-joints including bending effects

Welded tubular connections exhibit significant stress concentrations at the weld vicinity, which may result in fatigue failure. Stress concentration factors (SCFs) in DT-joint are computed, based on an extensive finite element study. The present paper develops a methodology for the calculation of the maximum local stress, referred to as “hot-spot stress”, in a multi-planar DT-joint, with particular emphasis on the effects of bending moments on the braces and the chord. Special attention is focussed on the location where critical stress concentration occurs, as well as on the so-called “carry-over phenomenon” and its implications on the hot-spot stress value. Simplified design equations for fatigue design are proposed to determine SCF values due to bending in order to improve predictions with respect to existing design tools.     

双平面焊接圆管截面DKT节点的中心撑杆鞍点及冠点位置的应力集中系数(英文)

A set of parametric stress analyses was carried out for two-planar tubular DKT-joints under different axial loading conditions.The analysis results were used to present general remarks on the effects of the geometrical parameters on stress concentration factors(SCFs) at the inner saddle,outer saddle,and crown positions on the central brace.Based on results of finite element(FE) analysis and through nonlinear regression analysis,a new set of SCF parametric equations was established for fatigue design purposes.An assessment study of equations was conducted against the experimental data and original SCF database.The satisfaction of acceptance criteria proposed by the UK Department of Energy(UK DoE) was also checked.Results of parametric study showed that highly remarkable differences exist between the SCF values in a multi-planar DKT-joint and the corresponding SCFs in an equivalent uni-planar KT-joint having the same geometrical properties.It can be clearly concluded from this observation that using the equations proposed for uni-planar KT-connections to compute the SCFs in multi-planar DKT-joints will lead to either considerably under-predicting or over-predicting results.Hence,it is necessary to develop SCF formulae specially designed for multi-planar DKT-joints.Good results of equation assessment according to UK DoE acceptance criteria,high values of correlation coefficients,and the satisfactory agreement between the predictions of the proposed equations and the experimental data guarantee the accuracy of the equations.Therefore,the developed equations can be reliably used for fatigue design of offshore structures.     

Stress concentration factors of multi-planar tubular KT-joints subjected to in-plane bending moments

Numerical research on the stress concentration factors (SCFs) in uniplanar tubular joints is abundantly reported in literature. However, it has been shown that SCF equations for uniplanar joints can lead to both under- or overestimation of the SCFs in multi-planar joints. In this paper, a parametric finite element study of 81 different three-planar KT joints subjected to five different in-plane bending loading conditions is performed. The effects of different non-dimensional geometrical parameters on the SCF values at the crown locations of the central and outer braces are studied. Based on nonlinear regression analyses of the finite element results, a new set of SCF equations is developed and presented.     

Stress concentration factors at welds in pipelines and tanks subjected to internal pressure and axial force

In this paper, analytical expressions for stress concentration factors in pipes subjected to internal pressure and axial force are derived for a number of design cases based on classical shell theory. The effect of fabrication tolerances in simple butt welds is assessed. Analyses based on classical mechanics are compared with results from axisymmetric finite element analyses for verification of the presented methodology. Stress concentration factors are presented for circumferential butt welds in pipes welded together from pipes with different thicknesses, welds at buckling arrestors, welds at flanged connections in pipelines, and welds at ring stiffeners on the inside and the outside of the pipes. It also includes stress concentration factors at end closures in pipes for gas storage. Larger pipes are fabricated from plates with a longitudinal weld. This fabrication process introduces out-of-roundness in the pipes. The actual out-of-roundness is a function of internal pressure. An analytical expression for the bending stress in the pipe wall due to this out-of-roundness is presented. The derived stress concentration factors can be used together with a hot spot stress S–N curve for calculation of fatigue damage.     

On stress concentration factors for tubular Y- and T-Joints in frame structures

This paper is written as a result of some years experience with fatigue analysis of offshore jacket structures where the connections are made as tubular joints. The hot spot stresses at the tubular joints in such analysis are normally derived based on parametric equations for stress concentration factors. These stress concentration factors are normally related to the axial force in the brace. It is observed that the hot spot stresses at the crown positions of the tubular joint in some cases are significantly affected by the local loading on the chord and the bending moment in the chord. In order to use the existing formulae in these cases some engineering effort is required to derive correct hot spot stress. This work can be avoided by using the nominal stress in the chord as the basis for calculating the hot spot stress at the crown position instead of using the axial force in the brace as basis for the analysis. This also extends the validity of the equations for stress concentration factors for T- and Y- joints in design standards. The proposed modification makes it also simpler to include the effect of joint flexibility in a proper way. The basis for a proposed revision of the equations for stress concentration factors for these joints is presented in this paper. It is considered that this modification leads to minor changes of the computer code, but that it will save analysis work for engineers and reduce the possibility of calculating incorrect fatigue lives in tubular frame structures.     

船舶舷侧细节结构的热点应力计算中的不确定性因素研究

疲劳是船舶结构一种重要的失效模式。在过去的十多年间，涌现出了一些不同的疲劳强度的评估方法，其中S－N曲线法在船级社中得到了广泛的应用。但是，仅就S－N曲线法中的热点应力法而言，不同的组织和个人所预报的疲劳寿命通常也存在很大差异，而计算所得的热点应力集中系数的不同是产生这些差异的一个重要影响因素。本文运用有限元比较研究的方法，对某船舶舷侧细节结构的热点应力计算中可能存在的不确定因素进行了综合分析。通过采用不同的单元类型，不同的建模方法以及不同的有限元软件ABAQUS和ANSYS，得出了相关结论，为正确计算此类船舶结构细节的热点应力提供了指导。     

降低FPSO含裂纹焊接结构应力集中系数的焊接修理形状的研究

对焊缝处出现的裂纹进行焊接修理,以阻止其进一步的扩展,这一方法能够有效地延长FPSO焊接结构的疲劳寿命.考虑到应力集中而造成的疲劳寿命的降低,要谨慎选取焊接修理所采用的形状和尺寸,避免产生过高的应力集中.在本文中,研究了不同几何形状和尺寸的二维焊接修理切口的应力集中系数,如抛物线型和椭圆型等,并与相类似尺寸的U型切口进行了比较.当切口的表面半宽长于其深度时,椭圆型的裂纹修理切口具有更低的应力集中系数.将椭圆型的焊接修理形状用于补板与纵骨的连接处,以计算进行焊接修理消除裂纹后结构的最大主应力.结果表明,在消除产生的裂纹以后,含焊接修理切口的结构可以恢复到初始的应力状态.     

Geometric stress distribution along the weld toe of the outer brace in two-planar tubular DKT-joints: Parametric study and deriving the SCF design equations

Regarding the research efforts expended so far on the calculation of stress concentration factors (SCFs) in tubular joints, two major shortcomings can be noted: (a) significant effort has been devoted to the study of SCFs in various uni-planar connections. Nevertheless, for multi-planar joints which cover the majority of practical applications, very few investigations have been reported due to the complexity and high cost involved; (b) majority of these research works focused on the study of SCFs at certain positions such as the saddle, crown toe, and crown heel, and they have ignored the hot-spot stress (HSS) at other positions along the weld toe. In the present paper, effects of dimensionless geometrical parameters on the SCF distribution along the weld toe of main (outer) braces in the axially loaded right-angle two-planar tubular DKT-joints are investigated. In order to study the multi-planar effect, SCF distribution in two-planar joints is compared with the distribution in a uni-planar joint having the same geometrical properties. A complete set of SCF database is constructed based on the two-planar DKT-joint Finite element models which are verified against experimental results and the predictions of Lloyd’s Register (LR) equations. The FE models cover a wide range of geometrical parameters. Six new SCF parametric formulae are developed through nonlinear regression analyses for the accurate and reliable fatigue design of two-planar DKT-joints under axial loads. An assessment study of these equations is conducted against the experimental data, the original FEM database and the acceptance criteria recommended by the UK Department of Energy.     

集装箱船舱口角隅应力集中系数的有限元分析的精度

集装箱船舱口角隅的应力集中是船舶结构强度的一个重要问题。随着有限元技术的发展，目前舱口角隅的应力集中系数大都可以通过有限元计算直接获得。由于有限元分析过程中存在着大量不确定性，通过控制其有限元分析各个步骤的质量来保证有限元分析的精度，已经成为一个重要的研究方向。本文利用现有有限元分析软件（ABAQUS），通过对不同模型简化方法的讨论，给出了正确计算舱口角隅结构应力集中系数的模型简化方法，并在此基础上讨论了网格尺度对应力集中系数的影响。     

Study on hot spot stress distribution of three-planar tubular Y-joints subjected to in-plane bending moment

The three-planar tubular Y-joint (3Y-joint) is the main part of the fatigue assessment of tripod substructures of offshore wind turbines (OWTs). As typical multiplanar tubular joints, 3Y-joints are affected a lot by multiplanar interaction between braces. Moreover, the locations of hot spot stress (HSS) can vary considerably under different load types. Thus, the distributions of stress concentration factor (SCF) and multiplanar interaction factor (MIF) along weld toe curves are necessary to calculate HSS. Considering these requirements, this study focuses on the 3Y-joint considering the wide application of the tripod substructure of OWT. A finite element (FE) analysis method is introduced and validated. Then, a numerical database is established covering common ranges of parameters used in practice. The SCF and MIF of 3Y-joint under in-plane bending moment are analyzed. Distribution formulas are proposed and proved suitable for calculating HSS in engineering design.     

Onboard monitoring of fatigue damage rates in the hull girder

Most new advanced ships have extensive data collection systems to be used for continuous monitoring of engine and hull performance, for voyage performance evaluation etc. Such systems could be expanded to include also procedures for stress monitoring and for decision support, where the most critical wave-induced ship extreme responses and fatigue damage accumulation can be estimated for hypothetical changes in ship course and speed in the automatically estimated wave environment.The aim of this paper is to outline a calculation procedure for fatigue damage rate prediction in hull girders taking into account whipping stresses. It is conceptually shown how such a method, which integrates onboard estimation of sea states, can be used to deduce decision support with respect to the accumulated fatigue damage in the hull girder.The paper firstly presents a set of measured full-scale wave-induced stress ranges in a container ship, where the associated fatigue damage rates calculated from a combination of the rain-flow counting method and the Palmgren-Miner damage rule are compared with damage predictions obtained from a computationally much faster frequency fatigue analysis using a spectral method. This analysis verifies the applied multi-modal spectral analysis procedure for fatigue estimation for cases where hull girder flexibility plays a role.To obtain an automated prediction method for the fatigue damage rates it is in the second part of the paper shown how a combination of the full-scale onboard acceleration and stress measurements can be used to calculate sea state parameters. These calculated environmental data are verified by a comparison to hindcast data.In the third part of the paper the full-scale fatigue stress ranges are compared to results from an analytical design oriented calculation procedure for flexible ship hulls in short-term estimated sea states.Altogether, it is conceptually shown that by a combination of the onboard estimated sea state parameters with the described analytical fatigue damage prediction procedure a method can be established for real-time onboard decision support which includes estimates of fatigue damage rates.     

SCFs in tubular X-joints retrofitted with FRP under out-of-plane bending moment

This paper presents a parametric study on the stress concentration factors (SCFs) on the chord member in tubular X-connections reinforced with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) under out-of-plane bending moment. For this aim, a FE model was generated and validated using several available experimental tests. After that, a set of 276 FE models was created to evaluate the effect of the FRP (layer number, orientation, and material) and joint geometry (γ, τ, and β) on the SCFs. In these FE models, the contact between the FRP sheets and the steel members (chord, weld, and braces) was modeled. Results indicated that the rise of the FRP laminate number causes a notable drop of the SCFs, especially in the connections with big γ. Moreover, the increment of the elastic modulus of FRP along the fibers causes a notable decrease of the SCF. Results showed that, for certain geometrical parameters set, the SCF in an X-connection retrofitted with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) can be down to 23% of the SCF in the associated un-retrofitted connection. Despite the notable efficacy of the FRP sheets on the drop of the SCFs in the X-connections, there is not any study or equation on the X-connections with FRP. Therefore, an equation was proposed for quantifying the SCFs in the X-connections with FRP.     

FPSO节点焊趾处的裂纹修理形状研究

对焊缝处出现的裂纹进行修理以阻止其进一步扩展,能够有效地延长FPSO焊接结构的疲劳寿命.考虑到应力集中而造成的疲劳寿命的降低,要谨慎选取修理时所采用的形状和尺寸,避免在修理后产生的表面缺陷处出现过高的应力集中.文中旨在进行三维T型焊接节点焊趾处的裂纹修理分析,为了选取合理的修理切口,首先对不同几何形状和尺寸的二维焊接修理切口,如抛物线型和椭圆型等,进行了应力集中系数的计算,并与相类似尺寸的U型切口的计算结果进行了比较.结果表明,当切口的表面半宽长于其深度时,椭圆型的裂纹修理切口具有更低的应力集中系数.随后,选择应力集中较小的椭圆型和U型切口焊接修理形状,并采用更加精确的三维有限元分析方法进行分析,给出了通过打磨等修理方式消除裂纹后得到的三维表面缺陷的应力集中系数,为工程上焊趾处裂纹的修理提供决策依据.     

对接接头焊趾应力集中有限元分析

研究焊缝几何参数对应力集中的影响,对于提高焊接结构疲劳强度有重要的意义.本文采用有限元方法,计算了双侧对称加强高和单侧加强高的对接接头焊趾处的应力集中系数,分析了几个主要参数,包括焊趾倾角、焊趾过渡圆弧半径和板厚对于应力集中系数的影响,研究了焊趾处应力集中沿板厚方向的变化情况,在分析大量计算结果的基础上给出了估算两种形式的对接接头应力集中系数的经验公式.结果表明,减小焊趾倾角,增大过渡圆弧半径,可以减缓焊趾处截面形状的变化,改善焊趾处的应力集中;板厚的增加使得应力集中系数增大.并且单侧加强高的对接接头应力集中系数小于双侧对称加强高对接接头的,其减小幅度只与θ有关.     

具初始裂纹钢桥梁焊接构件疲劳裂纹扩展和疲劳寿命计算

钢桥梁构件因焊接缺陷或者在疲劳应力交互作用下萌生裂纹,钢桥梁构件因存在初始裂纹大大地降低焊接构件的疲劳性能.文中考虑到焊接构件往往会存在初始缺陷,研究了含初始缺陷的桥梁焊接构件的疲劳分析方法.在已有的大量含裂纹构件的疲劳实验工作基础上,结合课题组所做的焊接构件疲劳实验资料,假设初始裂纹焊接构件在疲劳裂纹扩展过程中裂纹形状保持为半椭圆形状;针对桥梁构件实际受力特征,由钢桥梁构件的高周疲劳损伤演化方程入手,考虑初始裂纹条件下裂纹前缘的损伤区的存在及其对裂纹扩展的影响,采用虚拟裂纹扩张方法推导了适用于钢桥梁构件的疲劳裂纹扩展分析的疲劳裂纹扩展率公式,建议了裂纹扩展和疲劳寿命数值计算方法.采用文中的计算方法,研究了已有的钢桥梁结构焊接构件疲劳实验的裂纹扩展过程和疲劳寿命的计算.计算结果表明:裂纹的扩展过程中裂纹的深度和表面半长度之比a/c是一个变化的数值,且在一定的a0/t0条件下,随着a0/c0的增加,循环次数逐渐增大.     

浮式平台上部模块非管节点SCF控制方法

应力集中系数（Stress Concentration Factor，SCF）是评估节点疲劳损伤的重要参数。针对浮式平台上部模块非管节点的SCF控制，设计5种加强形式，采用Ansys软件对非管节点进行SCF分析。结果表明：筋板加强可有效改善面外弯矩作用下的应力集中；扣管加强对轴向力、面内弯矩和面外弯矩均具有较好的改善效果。     

Review of empirical and semi-empirical Y factor solutions for cracked welded tubular joints

The practical use of fracture mechanics has been established for use on large turbine and electric generator rotor components used in the atomic power generation and the aircraft industry. Application areas in the offshore industry have also been identified. Fracture mechanics is currently used at the design stage of offshore facilities. It provides the basis for fatigue life prediction, steel selection and tolerance setting on allowable weld imperfections. Fracture mechanics is also used during the operational stage of a structure to make important decisions on inspection scheduling and repair strategies and as a tool for establishing limits on operational conditions. Linear elastic fracture mechanics relies on the use of the stress intensity factor concept. The stress intensity factor is a very important fracture mechanics parameter. Therefore, the accuracy of any fracture mechanics model for the prediction of fatigue crack growth in offshore structures for example will depend very much on the accuracy of the stress intensity factor solution used. Several empirical and semi-empirical solutions have been developed over the years with varying degrees of accuracy. This paper presents a review of some of these methods and attempts to assess their accuracy in predicting Y factors for welded tubular joints by comparing predicted results with experimental data obtained from fatigue tests conducted on large scale welded tubular joints. The experimental results were conducted under simulated service conditions, using a jack-up offshore standard load history (JOSH). A comparison between the experimental and predicted results shows that there may be other factors, which influence fatigue crack growth under variable amplitude conditions. Some of these factors have been identified and discussed in this paper.     

轴向载荷下多平面DT型管节点应力集中系数概率模型研究

应力集中系数作为一个随机变量,对管节点及导管架平台的疲劳可靠性评估结果有着重要影响。文章以多平面DT型管节点为研究对象,建立了352个几何参数不同的三维管节点有限元模型,并分析了沿弦管-撑管焊缝处的应力集中系数分布。采用密度直方图描述最大应力集中系数统计样本的特征,利用疲劳可靠性分析中常用的几种概率分布进行拟合。各个概率模型中的参数通过极大似然估计方法得到。根据卡方检验的结果对比发现,Birnbaum-Saunders分布是最适合的概率模型。因此,文中提出一组适用于描述在轴向载荷即单向轴向和平衡轴向载荷作用下多平面DT型管节点弦管侧和撑管侧最大应力集中系数分布的概率模型,对今后导管架式海洋平台结构的疲劳可靠性分析具有重要意义。     

船体纵骨的热点应力分析

运用MSC.Patran/Nastran软件,对典型船舶纵向构件进行了热点应力分析,讨论了4种不同因素对节点热点处的应力集中系数的影响,并总结了其变化规律。     

循环载荷下考虑累积塑性影响的船体板CTOD理论及数值模拟研究

裂纹尖端张开位移(CTOD)是研究大范围屈服的低周疲劳破坏的重要参数之一,其值可反映结构材料抵抗低周疲劳裂纹形成和扩展的能力,是评估结构材料韧性的重要参量以及分析低周疲劳破坏引起裂纹扩展的主要控制参量。文章基于弹塑性断裂力学理论,从循环J积分着手,以裂纹尖端累积塑性应变为重要参量,建立循环载荷下船体板CTOD理论模型,并在有限元模拟中分析了应力比、应力幅等相关因素影响。将本模型结果与有限元计算结果进行了比较,发现结果吻合良好。结果表明：在考虑累积塑性影响下,该模型能较好地反映在循环载荷下船体板CTOD的变化规律,同时也为正确评估循环载荷下船体板低周疲劳破坏与累积塑性破坏两种破坏模式耦合作用的总体断裂破坏提供了途径。