Failure prediction of pitted brittle metal pipes

Numerical modelling is used to trace the development of cracks starting from pits that from on the surface of corroded, brittle metal pipe. Under internal pressure applied to the pipe, two general cracking patterns are found to occur and these are related to pit shape. The numerical analysis used allows estimation of the area of the cracked region and of the pressure under which failure occurs. These results also facilitate Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) studies by estimating the critical area of the crack stemming from a pit. This may result in a more realistic approach to estimating the likelihood of occurrence of critical cracks in brittle pitting corroded pipes.