General objectives of this proposal are the development of new high mechanical performance pipe components and specific technical know-how about the in-service behaviour of large diameter gas pipelines.
- Optimisation of exisiting crack arrestor technical solutions and development of crack arrest design tools (with respect also to an optimisation of costs and efficiency) in order to guarantee safe pipeline operation with high pressures and/or higher design factors (>0.72) in regard to the ductile fracture propagation event.
- Development and qualification of ultra high strength hot bends for large diameter gas pipeline grade X100 in order to achieve reliable design and production criteria.
- Identification of the minimum requirements of ductile steel pipe properties (e.g. Y/T ratio, ultimate strain at the failure) for a safe strain-based design of high strength/high pressure gas pipelines, as well as determination of implications of the material properties on the operational pipeline integrity assessment.