Leak before break fracture assessment of pressurized unplasticized PVC pipes with axial surface crack: Experimental and analytical analysis

Abstract

This paper compares Failure Assessment Diagram-based and Stress Intensity Factor-based analytical approaches with experimental results for assessing leak before break in axial finite semi-elliptical cracked Polyvinyl Chloride pipes subjected to internal pressure. Surface crack length of 25, 40 and 60 mm and depth to thickness ratio of 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 were investigated. Burst pressures are experimentally evaluated for all cracked and uncracked samples. Results illustrated that the Failure Assessment Diagram approach is more reliable than Stress Intensity Factor approach for fracture assessment of unplasticized PVC pipes.

Keywords Leak Before Break, Failure Assessment Diagram, Burst Pressure, Stress Intensity Factor, Polymeric Material