Advanced Program in Fracture Mechanics (CS032F+)


Advanced Program in Fracture Mechanics

Oil and gas pipelines around the world are aging, leading to the occurrence and growth of defects such as corrosion and cracks. These defects can be assessed using fracture mechanics methods; indeed, new federal regulations in the USA (2020) require pipeline operators to evaluate the significance of cracks in their pipelines using this approach. However, few pipeline engineering staff are familiar with fracture mechanics, highlighting the need to provide all pipeline integrity personnel with a thorough grounding in this area. A fracture mechanics learning program has been developed to help staff gain this understanding. It is important to emphasize that this is not a simple training course; rather, it is a comprehensive learning program that begins with the basics and history of fracture mechanics, guiding individuals through the various aspects of fracture and fatigue assessment of defects in pipelines.



Your course at a glance

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Course Availability

Available 24/7

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Duration

Estimated 3 - 4 months

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Delivery

Blended learning



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Level

Foundation level

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Competency Standards

Satisfies the requirement for Fracture Mechanics CS032F+

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What you will get

Certificate of completion, plus
Continued Professional Development hours


Who should take the program?

The learning program is aimed at pipeline integrity engineers who are involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of pipelines who need to understand fracture mechanics principles to enhance pipeline safety and performance.


What is the course format?

The program is an online, on-demand course designed to be completed within 3 - 4 months. This program inludes the following:

What are the course outcomes?

When successfully completing this program you will be able to explain the history of fracture mechanics, its principles, models (elastic, elastic-plastic, and plastic), defining the best assessment methods using fracture mechanics, and define and distinguish between the traditional approach to fatigue assessment, and the fracture mechanics approach to fatigue assessment. You will also be able to define and describe fracture and fatigue analyses, and produce predictions, under supervision.

What will you learn?

  • Quantitative and qualitative toughness, and interpreting fracture toughness (Kmat) from Charpy and toughness data, using standard correlations.
  • Fracture toughness testing.
  • Identifying primary and secondary stresses, toughness, and other inputs to a fracture analysis.
  • Stress fields at crack tips, and elastic-plastic fracture using K, J, or CTOD approaches. Relationship between K, J and CTOD.
  • Failure assessment diagrams (FADs) for fracture and collapse.
  • Choice of FAD, inclusion of residual stress, effects of pressure testing, and post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on inputs.
  • Conducting fatigue analyses by S-N or fracture mechanics methods, including environmental effects and cycle counting of data.
  • Use of assessment codes – BS 7910, API 579 - and other approaches (e.g., CorLAS, PAFFC, LEFM).
  • Use of commercial ECA software packages for routine analyses; Case studies in fracture mechanics and defect assessment.
  • Assessment of environmental cracking; and, Interpretation of pipeline data, such as design and service records, pipe stress analysis output, and SCADA data, and deriving inputs for fracture and fatigue analyses.

Meet your subject matter expert


Philhopkins

Dr Phil Hopkins

Dr. Phil Hopkins, an independent consultant based in the UK, developed all content for this program. Dr Hopkins has held a number of senior management and executive positions in the oil and gas business, and combines this high level management expertise with over four decades of engineering experience in transmission pipelines, including work on pipeline engineering, damage, safety, risk, integrity, surveillance, inspection and maintenance, and repair.

  

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