Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

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Engineering Fracture Mechanics

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/engfracmech

Application of the crack compliance method to long axial cracks

in pipes with allowance for geometrical nonlinearity
and shape imperfections (dents)
I.V. Orynyak *, Ye.S. Yakovleva
G.S. Pisarenko Institute for Problems of Strength, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2 Tymiryazevska str., Kyiv, Ukraine

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 2 April 2007
Received in revised form 22 March 2008
Accepted 26 March 2008
Available online 31 March 2008
Keywords:
Crack
Pipe
Dent
Stress intensity factor
Method of initial parameters
Crack compliance method

a b s t r a c t
Application of the crack compliance method to the analysis of thin-walled rings with a
radial crack has two features: a crack is considered as a concentrated angular compliance
and the deformation of all other sections of the rings is calculated as for a curvilinear beam.
The latter can be most conveniently found by the method of initial parameters where the
values of generalized forces and displacements at the end of some zone are determined as a
linear combination of their values at the beginning of the zone. The goal of the study is to
derive and apply the method of initial parameters equations taking into account the inuence of circumferential stresses on the ring curvature. As far as the authors know, this is the
rst time that the stress intensity factor has been derived for an elastic thin-walled pipe
with a radial crack in a geometrically nonlinear formulation. Here, an increase in pressure
leads to a somewhat slowed increase in the stress intensity factor. In addition, a number of
problems for dents are considered. The effect of the dent shape on the stressstrain state is
analyzed. An expression for the stress intensity factor for a complex defect, a crack emanating from the dent apex, is presented.
2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

1. Introduction
The modern means of in-line inspection of pipelines allows revealing a large number of cracks and dents. For each of them
the operator has to make a justied decision about their acceptability or the kinds and terms of repair. The stress analysis of
pipes, including the computation of stress intensity factors for cracks, is an important constituent of such a decision.
There are two problems when analyzing a pipe with a dent under a large internal pressure: the rerounding effect of the
pressure and the poorly dened geometry of the dent being a local defect. Dents are characterized not only by the conventional dimensions depth, width, and length but also by such a subjective parameter as the smoothness of its contour
(sharp, plain, etc.), which complicates the development of general methods for their analysis. In the case of a crack emanating from the dent, the problem formulation becomes more difcult because of the geometrical features of the crack. This
makes the standard FEM based analysis a rather inconvenient one.
Thus for cracked dent of complex geometry the more urgent task is the development of simple engineering procedure of
SIF calculation rather than graphical presentation of FEA results or construction of simplifying formulas. As example of the
later approach we mention a well-known defect assessment manual [1], which provides the corresponding formula. The
manual [1] uses Hopkins solution [2] based on the strip yield model. This in fact is the simplest form [3] of a two-criteria
approach and formed the basis for the rst version of the well-known R6 document proposed in 1976. Thus, Hopkins
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: or@ipp.kiev.ua (I.V. Orynyak).
0013-7944/$ - see front matter 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
doi:10.1016/j.engfracmech.2008.03.008

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

4053

Nomenclature
KI
(r, u)
R0
R(u)
w, u
E, m
~
n;~l
h
Dh, Du
bi, ci
a
a = a/t
Yi(a)
M
N, Q
NN
N1
rN, rM
rq(x)

stress intensity factor (SIF)

polar coordinates
the initial radius of curvature of the ideal ring
polar radius of the middle surface of the ring
radial and circumferential displacements
Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio
normal and tangent vectors
rotation angle of the cross-section
jumps in rotation angle and displacements in the cracked section
dimensionless values of these jumps in the cracked section for i-loading
depth of a crack
dimensionless depth of a crack
dimensionless SIF for i-loading
bending moment per unit width of ring
circumferential and transverse forces per unit width of ring
nominal force from internal pressure (as for ideal ring)
additional force due to the shape imperfection
intensities of stress from circumferential force and bending moment
distribution of the circumferential stresses in the cracked section due to all outer forces, shape imperfection,
residual stress in case of the crack absence
q x
r
dimensionless law of the above stress distribution
q
intensity of these stresses
P
internal pressure
3
 PR00 12
p
dimensionless pressure
E t3
rP(x)
the law of the circumferential stress distribution in the thick-walled pipe due to inner pressure (Lames formula)
r1P x
the sum of the above Lames stresses and uniform stresses from inner pressure
p0
intensity of the above stresses
ru = PR0/t circumferential stresses in thin-walled pipe
x
coefcient of the SIF reduction
W
dent depth at the point of the center of the dent
Du
angular length of the dent
w1
angle jump at the point of the center of the dent
w2
angle jump at the point which is the transition from the dent to the undistorted part of the pipe
MN PRt 0 Wt nominal bending moment for a small dent
equivalent axial force by Trescas condition
Ne

solution [2] uses both nominal stresses from internal pressure and the original expression for the stress intensity factor (SIF)
based on formulas for a strip with a crack under membrane and bending stresses.
The second above mentioned problem, namely the rerounding effect of the pressure action, is a more complicated and a
less evident one. This phenomena is exhibited, for example, in decreasing of coefcient of pipe bend exibility at loading by
bending moment due to additional action of internal pressure. As it was said in resent paper [4] The pressure reduction
effect in smooth piping elbows is well known, but little understood. In fact the inner pressure increase the apparent stiffness
of the pipe wall and the primary goal of this paper is foremost to draw attention to it in case of the presence of crack.
With respect to thin-walled shells, this problem was thoroughly studied by Calladine [5]. He have shown that small initial, or acquired due to the outer loading, deections from the ideal cylindrical shell form can be accounted for as some additional distributed loading applied to the cylindrical shell. His method was called the equivalent load method. Practical
formulas were obtained only for innitely long axial imperfections [5] while a 3D analysis of actual defects using the approach was performed in [6]. But Papkovich [7] was the rst to obtain a correct solution taking into account the action of
internal pressure on the ring. Considering that the imperfection prole can be expressed as a Fourier series, he obtained a
geometrically nonlinear analytical solution for displacements and stresses. Note that an identical solution is presented in
the well known API 579 Fitness-For-Service Standard [8]. For completeness of presentation, it will be given in this work too.
The proposed below method consider the crack as a concentrated compliance when the jumps in displacements and angles of rotation in the cracked section are linearly related to the values of force and moment in it. The proportionality factors
are calculated by integrating SIF over the crack length. This technique has found wide application in linear fracture mechanics, especially for beams, thin-walled shells, and plates. It was suggested for the analysis of elliptic cracks in plates under the
name of line spring model by Rice and Levy [9] where the classical Kirchhoffs plate theory was used. Further development
was made, in particular, by Delale and Erdogan [10] where an analysis of cracked shells was performed based on Reissners
governing equations.

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I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

The technique of concentrated compliance is used together with the determination of displacements in the remaining,
defect-free part of the body, which can be done by FEM calculation, as well as by analytical formulas. It can be most effectively applied to two-dimensional bodies for which it was thoroughly elaborated in works of Cheng and Finnie [11] and has
come to be known as crack compliance method. It received further development and wide application both in destructive
methods for measuring residual stresses [12] and in methods of SIF determination for so-called statically indeterminate
bodies with cracks when kinematic boundary conditions are used [13,14].
The consideration of the concentrated compliance has practical signicance in the SIF computation for transverse cracks
in spatial piping systems. The stress state induced by thermal expansion depends on the compliance of supports and exibility of piping. An additional compliance of the section with a crack results in some unloading of the piping. Taking into
account this effect leads to a decrease in the SIF value and is favorable in leak-before-break analysis of NPP piping [15] or
heat-exchange tubes of steam generator [16].
This paper analyzes a ring with a radial crack and makes use of the common features of Chengs and Finnies approach
[17]:
 A ring is considered as a curvilinear beam with a transverse crack. There are residual stresses in the cracked section, as
well as the stresses caused by some external loading.
 A crack is a concentrated compliance with two degrees of freedom (jumps in displacements, Du, and rotation angle, Dh,
take place in the section with a crack). These jumps depend on all the stresses in the cracked section.
 Due to the jumps in the cracked section, the continuity (or boundary conditions) of the ring-beam would be formally violated if it were not for the additional bending moment M and longitudinal force N, which arise in the section with a crack
and lead to a redistribution of displacement and forces in the beam.
In Cheng and Finnies work [11] the displacements of a curvilinear beam were obtained by aid of Castiglianos reciprocity
theorem. The novelty of this paper consists mainly in a more rigorous calculation of the beam. In our former work [18] the
improvements were related to the calculation of a thick-walled ring as a curvilinear beam. The present work mainly differs in
the adoption of rst order nonlinear governing equations for determining displacements and rotation of the curvilinear beam
under the action of internal pressure. There are a great number of methods for solution of such equations in structural
mechanics. The authors advocate the method of initial parameters (MIP) in conjunction with the sweep method [19]. Its essence for a plane beam consists in that six unknown values of generalized forces and displacement at the end of some zone
are determined as a linear combination of their values at the beginning of the zone. Thus the solution of equations for the
beam will be given here in a form convenient for subsequent application in the MIP.
2. Problem formulation
2.1. Geometry and governing equations
A pipe with a long surface axial crack can be treated as a ring with an radial crack. Thus consider a ring (pipe) with a constant wall thickness t, R(u) is the polar radius of the ring, u is the polar angle, and point O is the center of coordinates (Fig. 1).
Assume a radial crack of depth a. We relate the coordinate u = 0 with the section containing a crack. Introduce the local
unit vectors: ~
n is the normal directed to the instantaneous center of curvature at the considered point u, ~l is the tangent vector directed clockwise. By two nearby sections, which are parallel to the vector ~
n, we put into consideration an elementary
zone ds of a curvilinear beam (Fig. 2). The stressstrain state of this zone is characterized by six basic parameters. They are:
radial displacement w (along ~
n), circumferential displacement u (along ~
l), rotation angle of the cross-section, h directed
clockwise; transverse force Q, longitudinal force N, and bending moment M directed as shown in Fig. 2.

x
a

R()

O
P

Fig. 1. A curvilinear ring with a redial crack.

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

4055

ds

Q+dQ

N
M

N+dN
M+dM

Fig. 2. Directions of forces and displacement vectors.

We expand the radius-vector of the mean surface R(u) into a harmonic series:
!
1
1
X
X
an cos nu
bn sin nu :
Ru R0 1
n1

n1

Suppose that the shape of the ring differs insignicantly from a circular one, i.e.:
2

bn ; a2n  1:

Taking into account condition (2), it is easy to show that the elementary length of the ring ds is approximately equal to:
q
ds R2 R02 du  Ru du:
3
Then, as a rst approximation, the expression for the curvature K is:


1 1
R00
1
;
K 
q R
R

where R0 = oR/ou, and R00 = o2R/ou2.

Write down six differential equations, which describe the deformation of the ring:
dQ
N
P;
Ru du q
dh
M

;
Ru du E0 J

dN
Q
 0;
Ru du q
du
w
0;
Ru du q

dM
Q;
Ru du
dw
u
h:
R du q

5
6

Here E is the Youngs modulus and the generalized modulus E0 is equal to E for a ring and to E/(1  m2) for an innite pipe,
where m is the Poissons ratio. When solving Eqs. (5), (6) we take into account the change in the ring curvature caused by the
action of the bending moments, i.e., the problem of ring deformation is considered in a geometrically nonlinear formulation.
Then a general expression for the curvature is written as follows:


1 1
R00
M

1
0 :
7
q R
R
EJ
We simplify the governing equations using the above mentioned equivalent load method [5]. Then we present the sought
value of the longitudinal force N as the sum of the nominal force caused by internal pressure NN = PR0 = const. and some
additional force N1:
N NN N1 ;

8a

NN  N1 :

8b

where

The assumption (8b) is the key one in the subsequent analysis. In spite that it is widely applied in analysis of the shells the
ranges of its applicability are rarely discussed in the literature. Keeping in mind that Q and N1 are comparable and
max{Q}  sin hmax, where hmax is the maximal angle of the distortion of the form of the ring from the ideal circular form,
the requirement hmax  1 will justify the correctness of application of the assumption (8b). Taking into account condition
(8b) it can be shown that a change in the curvature as it is given by Eq. (7) is essential only in the rst one of the equilibrium
Eq. (5). Thus, instead of Eqs. (5) and (6), we have:
!
1
1
X
X
dQ
N 1 PR20 M
dN 1
Q
dM


Q;
9
 0 PR0
n2  1an cos nu
n2  1bn sin nu ;
0;
R0 du R0
R
R
R
du
EJ
0
0
0 du
n1
n1
dh
M

;
R0 du E0 J

du
w 0;
du

dw
u hR0 :
du

10

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I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

From Eq. (9) we get:

Q 00 v2 Q PR0 

1
X

nn2  1an sin nu

n1

1
X

!
nn2  1bn cos nu :

11a

n1

Here
v2 1 

PR30
;
1p
E0 J

11b

 is introduced.
where, for the sake of convenience, the dimensionless pressure p
2.2. The jumps of displacements and rotation angles in the cracked section
Assume that circumferential stresses rq in the considered section with a crack, but under the assumption of its absence,
q x is some basic law of the stress distribution and q is the intensity of
can be presented in the form: rq x q
rq x, where r
those stresses. For example, the stresses from longitudinal force N, and bending moment M can be presented in similar form
rN(x) = rN  1 and rM(x) = rM  (1  2x/t) where the values rN = N/t and rM = 6M/t2 are, in fact, the intensities. Then, in accordance with the crack compliance method, the jumps of displacements and rotation angles (Fig. 3) depend from the intensity
of stresses q as well as from stresses due to additional force and moment. They are found by the following formulas (see, for
instance, [18]):
p
cq q  cM rM  cN rN ;
E0
6p
Dh 0 bq q bM rM bN rN ;
E

Du t

12
13

where ci and bi are compliance coefcients for any type of loading designated by subscript i, which can be found as
Z a
Z a
aY N aY i a da and bi a
aY M aY i a da;
14
ci a
0

where Yi(a) is the dimensionless SIF, which can be obtained, for example, by the weight function method [2022] or taken
from handbooks. The relation between the dimensionless SIF values and the SIF for the corresponding loading is given by
formulas
p
p
p
K Iq  paqY q a; K IN  parN Y N a and K IM  parM Y M a:
15
The sign means that compressive stresses are positive here. Then, taking into account the superposition principle, the
total SIF can be written as
K I K IN K IM K Iq :

16

Note that the sign of the h value presented in Fig. 3 is negative and formulas (12) and (13) give only a half of the corresponding jumps.
2.3. The use of the method of initial parameters (MIP)
As noted before, the stressstrain state of a curvilinear beam is characterized by six parameters. We denote them in the
general form as ~
Xu. The MIP is applicable when for each zone of the beam, which is free from outer loads (or loaded only by
pressure), there exist six equations describing the relation between the values of these parameters at the beginning of the
zone and those at any point of the zone. Thus
~
Xu Au~
X0 ;

17

u
x

q(x)
t
a

Fig. 3. Scheme of deformation of a beam near the cracked section.

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

4057

where the matrix [A(u)] is known and at the point u = 0 is unitary and ~
Xu 0 ~
X 0 u0 ; w0 ; h0 ; N 1;0 ; Q 0 ; M 0 , where the lower
index 0 indicates that the parameters pertain to the point u = 0. Then we break up the beam into zones at whose boundaries the concentrated forces (supports) are applied or a crack is placed. For these boundaries we write the conditions of
equality of all six parameters with allowance for the above jumps.
3. Complete solution for a ring in a geometrically nonlinear formulation
We seek the solution to system (9)(11) as the sum of a particular solution of an inhomogeneous system and a general
one for an homogeneous system. The particular solution is given by formulas [7,8,23]
X
X
Q PR0
nAn sin nu  nBn cos nu; N PR0
An cos nu Bn sin nu;
n2

n2



PR3 X
An
Bn
sin nu
cos nu ;
h 00

M
n
n
E J n2
n2


PR40 X
An
Bn
sin nu 
cos nu ;
u 0
nn2  1
E J n2 nn2  1


PR4 An X An cos nu Bn sin nu
2
;
w 00
n  1
E J n2 n2  1
PR20

X
An cos nu Bn sin nu;

18a

where
An

n2  1an
;
n2  v2

Bn

n2  1bn
:
n2  v2

18b

Here and below, for the sake of uniformity we write N instead of N1.
Some comments on the particular solution are presented. Firstly, it does not contain the coefcients at n = 1, as the latter
dene the displacement of a ring as a rigid body; and secondly, the solution is meaningful only for v2 < 4. For v2 = 4, the
denominator in expressions (18a) becomes equal to zero, so buckling of the ring is going to happen due to the action of external pressure.
To obtain the solution sought for the SIF, we need to have a general solution of system (9)(11). In the given formulation,
geometrical nonlinearity has two features. The rst one consists in the inuence of the large value of the longitudinal force
NN = PR0 on the magnitude of the transverse force. Similarly to the jump of the rotation angles Dh in the cracked section, a
jump of the transverse force DQ0 also takes place. It occurs because the force NN due to an abrupt change in the direction of
the tangent vectors ~
t gives a projection on the normal:
DQ 0 N N sinDh  PR0 Dh:

19

The second feature of the present solution consists in explicit expressions for the matrix [A(u)] obtained within the linearized formulation of (9) and (10). Depending on the value of v2, three different cases are distinguished for which a general
solution is presented in the form convenient for subsequent application in the MIP. It is given in Table 1.
 0), i.e., for geometrically linear formulation, the expressions for u and w in the rst column of TaNote that for l = 1 (p
ble 1 are reduced to the known form:


R3 N 0
u cos u 3 sin u

u u0 cos u w0 sin u h0 R0 1  cos u  0 0
u
2
2
EJ


R30 Q 0
u sin u
R20 M 0
 cos u 0 u  sin u;
0
1
20
2
EJ
EJ


3
R N0
u sin u
1  cos u 
w w0 cos u  u0 sin u h0 R0 sin u  0 0
2
EJ


R20 M 0
R30 Q 0 sin u u cos u

:
21
0 1  cos u 0
2
2
EJ
EJ
The combined usage of the MIP equations given in Table 1 as well as the expressions for the jump of the transverse force (19)
and rotation angles (13) is the main idea and novelty of the present paper.
4. Computation of the SIF for a single crack in a ring
Consider a pipe under the action of internal pressure P only. Then, the distribution of circumferential stresses in every
section under the assumption of the crack absence is given by a well-known Lame formula: rP p0  r22 =r 2 1, where
the intensity of these stresses p0 r 21 =r22  r21  P (here r1 is the internal and r2 the external radius). Let a crack be located
in the section u = 0.
Consider a full set of initial parameters in the section u = Du, where Du is negligibly small. Due to symmetry, the longitudinal displacement, rotation angle, and transversal force Q in the section u = 0 are exactly equal to zero. But just beyond

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I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

Table 1
General solution to Eqs. (9) and (10) by the MIP
v2 > 0, l = v

v2 = 0

v2 < 0; l

p
v2

0
N0 N0  M
R0

0
N0 N0  M
R0

0
N0 N0  M
R0

Q 0 cos lu  Nl0 sin lu



lu
N 0 Ql0 sin lu  N 0 1cos
l2


lu
M 0 R0 Q 0 sinllu  R0 N 0 1cos
2

l 2 

2
R Q
R N
lu
0
u 0E0 J 0 1cos
h0 R0EM
 0E0 J 0 lu2  sinl3lu
0
l2
J

Q 0  N0 u

Q 0 chlu  Nl0 shlu

u0 cos u w0 sin u h0 R0 1  cos u 

R20 M 0
R3 Q
lu
cos u
u  sin u 0E0 J 0 l12  l2cos
1l
2 
1l2
E0 J


R30 N 0 u
sin lu
sin u


0
2
3
2
2
l
l 1l
1l
EJ

u0 cos u w0 sin u h0 R0 1

R20 M 0
R3 Q
u  sin u 0E0 J 0 cos u
E0 J


R30 N 0 u3
6  u sin u
E0 J

w0 cos u  u0 sin u h0 R0 sin u


R20 M 0
R3 Q
sin lu
sin u
1  cos u 0E0 J 0 l1l
2  1l2 
E0 J


R30 N 0 1
lu
cos u
 l2cos
1l
2
l2
1l2
E0 J

w0 cos u  u0 sin u h0 R0 sin u

R20 M 0
R3 Q
1  cos u 0E0 J 0 u  sin u
E0 J


R30 N 0 u2
2  1 cos u
E0 J

Q
N
M
h

N 0 Ql0 shlu  N 0

N 0 Q 0 u  N 0 u2
h0 ME00RJ 0 u

EJ

u2
2

N 0 R20
0
EJ

chlu1
l2


chlu1
M0 R0 Q 0 shlu
2
l  R0 N 0

l 2 

2
R Q
R N
0
h0 R0EM
u 0E0 J 0 chlu1
 lu2
 0E0 J 0 shlu
0
l2
l3
J

M0 R0 Q 0 u  N 0 R0 u2
Q 0 R20
0

u3
6

u0 cos u w0 sin u h0 R0 1  cos u

R20 M 0
R3 Q
u  sin u 0E0 J 0 l2 chlu

1l2
E0 J


3
R
N
cos
u
shlu
u
sin u
1
0 0




0
2
2
3
2
2
1l
l 1l
l
1l2
l
EJ

 cos u

2
 1 u2 

w0 cos u  u0 sin u h0 R0 sin u


R20 M 0
R3 Q
shlu
sin u
1  cos u 0E0 J 0 l1l
2  1l2 
E0 J


R30 N 0
chlu
cos u
 l12 1l
2
l2 1l2
E0 J

the above section they are equal to the jumps of the corresponding values of Du (12), Dh (13), and PR0h0 (19), respectively. In
the MIP, these values are considered as initial ones u0, h0 and Q0. The initial value of the radial displacement w can be chosen
arbitrarily, for example, w0 = 0. Thus, in section u = Du, we have only two independent unknowns: the longitudinal force N0
and bending moment M0. They can be found by the MIP taking into account the condition of symmetry at the point u = p,
namely, u(p) = h(p) = 0.
We used this procedure for the SIF computation for thick-walled cylinders with single or several cracks [18]. For a thinwalled pipe it is possible to use a simplifying assumption u0 = 0. Let us justify this. Since YM = 0(YN) (these functions are comparable), from Eq. (14) follows that ci(a) = 0(bi(a)) and eventually, with allowance for Eqs. (12) and (13), we have u0 = t  0(h0).
Thus, it is obvious that u0  h0R. Therefore, in the formulas for u(u) given in Table 1 it is possible to accept that u0 = 0. The
error caused by this assumption can be evaluated by ratio t/(pR0) and for R0/t > 5 can be considered as quite satisfactory. The
above conditions of symmetry at the point u = p yield
h0 1 a1  n0 1  a2 m0 0

and

2h0 1 a3 

n0
1 a4 m0 0;
2

22

pR2

where n0 EJ0 N 0 and m0 pREJ0 M 0 . The expressions for calculation of constants ai are presented in Table 2. Note that the values of a1 and a3 are related to the jump of the transverse force in the cracked section (19).
Eq. (22) allow us to nd the magnitudes of M0 and N0. Note that RN0 = 0(M0). Then the axial stress rN = t/(6R)  0(rM) and it
can be neglected in the SIF calculation. Thus, in the ultimate expression for the SIF (16) we need to take into account the
stresses from the internal pressure and bending moment M0 only. Eventually, similarly to our work [18], we get an analytical
expression for a dimensionless SIF for a ring with a radial crack:
!
YM
fph
;
Yp Y0 1 
23
Y 0 1  xa; p
Y 0 R9t0 kp
 fmm
where


kp

31  2a2  a4
:
3 4a3  4a2  4a2 a3  a1  a4  a1 a4

24

Here, YM and Y0 are the dimensionless SIFs for bending and Lames stresses calculated for an innite strip with an edge crack,
respectively. Here, for the sake of convenience, the notion of the SIF reduction coefcient, x, is introduced, which characterizes the inuence of the completeness of the contour (ring geometry) as compared with the basic geometry, i.e., an innite
strip with an edge crack.
 0 (then kp
 0 1) it yields the SIF values for a ring in the
Formula (23) is the main result of the present study. At p
linear formulation, and this result has already been obtained in [18]. Verication of the approach in general and formula (23)
in particular for thick-walled cylinders was performed in [18], where the determination of Y0 due to circumferential Lames

Table 2
Expressions for the values of constants ai depending on the dimensionless pressure p
ai

v2 > 0, l = v

v2 = 0

v2 < 0; l
 chlp1
p
l2

a1

lp
 1cos
p
l2

p2
2

a2

lp
1  l12 sin
l3 p

1  p6

1  shlp
l12
l3 p

a3

lp2l
 1cos
p
2l2 1l2

p2
4

1

 chlp12l
p
2l2 1l2

2 sin lp
l3 p1l2

3

2shlp
l3 p1l2

a4

2
l2

1

p
3

p
v2

 l22  1

4059

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

Table 3
Dimensionless SIF values, Y2, for a radial crack from the inner surface of a pressurized cylinder with allowance for the pressure on the crack faces
a

0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6

b=5

b = 10

b = 20

Formula (23)

Zahoor [24]

Formula (23)

Zahoor [24]

Formula (23)

Zahoor [24]

1.3787
1.5215
1.7458
2.0648
2.4945
3.0563

1.3442
1.4829
1.7181
2.0559
2.5047
3.0786

1.2924
1.4512
1.7055
2.0836
2.6313
3.4263

1.2589
1.4233
1.7021
2.1026
2.6346
3.3150

1.2444
1.4101
1.6788
2.0889
2.7107
3.6822

1.2221
1.4294
1.7809
2.2856
2.9562
3.8138

stresses was made by the weight functions method [2022]. We present here the result of [18], where the additional action
of internal pressure on the surfaces of a radial crack emanating from the cylinder inner surface are taken into account,
r1P p0  r22 =r21 r22 =r2 . Table 3 lists the results of computation of the dimensionless SIF characterized by the value
p 2r2
Y 2 K 1 =P pa r2 r2 2 . For the sake of comparison, the results of computations by Zahoors formula [24] are also presented. Here
2

parameter b means the ratio of the inner radius to the wall thickness: b = (R0/t  0.5). Taking into account that Zahoors formula involves a 5% error, we can state a good agreement between the results. This conrms the correctness of the results for
a linear problem.
A complete verication of formula (23) is difcult to do, as the inuence of geometrical nonlinearity in the SIF calculation
was not explored before. Two arguments can be offered to prove the correctness of it. First, the wide application in the literature of the crack compliance method, in general, and good correspondence attained with the known results for a limit
case k = 1, in particular. Second, the procedures for linear and nonlinear cases are the same, while the difference is only
in the beam solutions given in Table 1. But all three beam solutions coincide at v ? 0 and, in general, they correspond to
the homogeneous solution for a exible ring of Papkovich [7].
Now return to the analysis of formula (23). Obviously, the larger the denominator in the expression for x, the bigger is the
difference between the SIF for a crack in a ring and that in an innite strip. The reason is that the ring is stiffer than the latter.
 reveals itself through the mulTherefore, the ratio 9t/R0 characterizes the stiffness of the ring. The inuence of the pressure p
 at R0/(9t) that can be interpreted as an increase in the apparent stiffness of the ring caused by internal pressure.
tiplier kp
 on the SIF values it is important to have the dependence kp
. It is shown in Fig. 4.
Therefore, for analysis of the inuence of p
 1 the value of k is k = 9/(3 + p2). Thus, combined consideration of formula (23) with Fig. 4 allows us to state
Note that at p
that with increasing pressure the apparent stiffness increases and the dimensionless SIF decreases. As far as we know, the
effect of the decrease in the dimensionless SIF values with increasing internal pressure for a ring with a crack is obtained for
the rst time.
It is important to understand whether this reduction effect is of practical importance or it can be neglected. Look again at
the denominator in the expression for x (23). First of all note that the values of bM(a) for thin-walled cylinders with small and
intermediate crack lengths (a 6 0.6) are proportional to a2 and are negligibly small as compared to the value of R0/9t. Then
the SIF reduction coefcient x is approximately proportional to the multiplier F 1 a YYM0 bN (see formula (23)). The graph of
this function is given in Fig. 5. The availability of the F1(a) value allows making a quick estimation of the reduction coefcient
x, which is approximately equal to
x  F 1 a 

9t
:
  R0
kp

25

1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2

0
0

1.9

10

20

30

.
Fig. 4. The dependence of the multiplier k on the dimensionless pressure p

4060

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

F1

1.2
0.9
0.6
0.3
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Fig. 5. The dependence of the multiplier F 1 a YYM0 bN on the relative crack depth a.

 leads to a increase in x and decrease in SIF. Yet this effect can be revealed only when the
It is evident that an increase in p
, i.e. xp
 0, is not negligibly small as compared with 1. Otherwise, taking into account the
reduction coefcient at zero p
 0 with increasing p
 has no practical sense. This takes place when the crack is
decrease in the small initial value of x at p
short and/or the R0/t ratio is very large. As an example consider a ring with R0/t = 18 and relative crack depth a = 0.5. Then,
  1. If p
  2, then as it follows from Fig. 4, kp
  0:5 and x increases
F1  0.2 and the coefcient of reduction x  0.1 at p
approximately twofold. Then, the dimensionless SIF will decrease from 0.9 to 0.8, i.e., 0.9/0.8 = 1.125 times, which is a
 can be large enough to be taken into
noticeable effect. But we need to understand whether in practice the magnitude of p
account.
 cannot vary in wide limits and is restricted by the mechanical strength of pipes. Consider the inuence of
The value of p
 can be presented as
circumferential stresses ru = PR/t on the coefcient x in some possible cases.The value of p

p

12ru 1  m2 R2
Et 2

26

Assuming that E = 2 105 MPa and m = 0.3, we plot graphs of the inuence of the nominal stress ru on the coefcient of the
SIF reduction (Fig. 6) for some specic values of the R0/t ratio (20 and 40) and relative crack depth (0.4 and 0.6). As it follows
from the graphs, a noticeable reduction of the dimensionless SIF for typical pipes at a practically possible level of circumferential stresses is observed. Thus, for a pipe with a crack for a = 0.4, R0/t = 20, and ru = 200 MPa, an additional decrease in the
coefcient x due to the action of the internal pressure is equal to Dx = x(200)  x(0) = 0.06. The inuence of the pressure for
deeper cracks is more noticeable, for example, for a = 0.6, Dx = x(200)  x(0) = 0.15. The above values of x are large enough
to be accounted for in practical calculation of the SIF.

=0.4

R 0 /t=20

R 0 /t=40

0.15
0.12
0.09
0.06
0.03
0
0

200

400

=0.6

PR/t

R 0 /t=20

0.4

600

R 0 /t=40

0.3
0.2
0.1
0

PR/t

200

400

600

Fig. 6. The inuence of nominal circumferential stresses due to internal pressure on the SIF reduction coefcient for two dimensionless depths of the crack:
(a) a = 0.4; (b) a = 0.6.

4061

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

5. A thin-walled ring with combined defects

5.1. Symmetric dents under the action of internal pressure P
It can be seen from formula (18) that the dent depth predetermines mainly the maximum value of additional stresses
from the bending moment. Furthermore, for a geometrically linear case (with no account for the straightening effect of internal pressure), expression (18) for a bending moment fully corresponds to the expression for the dent geometry (1). In this
case, the maximum bending stress from the additional bending moment is equal to: rM = PR/t  6W/t, where W is the maximum dent depth. Thus, the total stresses with allowance for hoop stresses are equal to r = PR/t  (1 + 6W/t). However, it
should be remembered that these results were obtained with simplications (2) and (4), which impose some inaccuracy
for relatively deep and sharp dents. The analysis by the FEM can be more universal [25] and free from restrictions. The result
of the FEM calculations demonstrates that sharp defects are usually more dangerous. Here, based on the equations of the MIP
obtained, we develop a simple approach to consideration of the shape of a dent in the solution for the total stress in a pressurized pipe.
To this end we consider three types of symmetric defects in a pipe with the initial curvature radius of R0 (Fig. 7). To simplify the application of the MIP equations to the given cases we assume that the deformed part of a pipe (dent geometry) can
also be described by a part of a circumference of some constant radius R1. Due to symmetry, we consider a half section only.
For convenience, we designate three points for each geometry (Fig. 7) as: B is the center of the dent, A is the transition from
the dent to the undistorted part of the pipe, and C is the center of the undistorted part of the pipe. Each shape of the dent is
characterized by the following geometrical parameters: W is the dent depth at the point B; R1 is the dent radius (it can be
negative, as for the geometry shown in Fig. 7b); Du is the angular length of the dent which is counted off from the initial
center O of the circumference; w1 is the angle jump at the point B between the axis x (initial direction of the tangent to
the contour) and the tangent to the dent, and w2 is the angle jump at the point A between the tangent to the undistorted
circumference and the tangent to the dent.
Consider each dent separately. For the rst type of the dent (Fig. 7a) we have R1 = R0 and w1 = w2 = Du. The dependence
between the depth of the dent W and its angular length Du is given by the following expression: W = 2R0(1  cos Du).
The second type of the dent (Fig. 7b) is characterized by the following values: R1 = R0, w1 = 0, and w2 = 2Du, and
W = 2R0(1  cos Du). Contrary to the rst and the second types, the third one (Fig. 7c) does not retain the original length
of the deformed part of the circumference. Its specic feature is that the angle w2 is set to be equal to zero. Then from this
R0 sin Du
0 cos Du
condition, the value of R1 can be determined as: R1 2 cosDuw
, w1 = Du + 2w, and tan w WRR00R
.
cos w
sin Du
Note that for the third type of geometry we consider only such dent depth W for which the value of the angle w1 < p/2.
Now proceed to the calculation. Assume that a pipe is loaded with internal pressure p only. For the sake of comparability
of the results to be obtained, consider the problem in a geometrically linear formulation. The procedures of the solution for
all types of the dents are identical and based on the MIP. Our travel starts from point B. We have here six initial parameters
as six unknowns. Using the equations of the rst column of Table 1 at l ? 1 and at R = R1, we nd the values of those
parameters at the end of the zone, i.e. at the point A.
Similarly, we put here six initial conditions (unknowns) for the second (undeformed) zone. We write down six conditions
of equality of those parameters at the end of the rst zone and the beginning of the second one. For example, the condition of
the force equality with allowance for the angular jump of the tangents to the contour at the point A has the form:

a
2

R
B

A
B

R0

R1

R0

R0

Fig. 7. Three types of the dent geometry: (a) rst type of dent; (b) second type of dent; (c) third type of dent.

4062

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

N 1f cos w2 Q 1f sin w2 N 2b ;

27a

Q 1f cos w2  N 1f sin w2 Q 2b ;

27b

where the upper indexes mean belonging to a certain zone and the lower ones mean the beginning (b) and the end (f) of
the corresponding zone. Similar conditions are written for the displacements u and w. Due to symmetry, another six boundary conditions are written by xing the displacement components of a pipe as a rigid body. At the end of the second zone (for
the point C) they are:
w2f 0;

u2f 0

h2f 0:

and

28

The boundary conditions at the point B are slightly more complicated. Here we have to take into account that, due to symmetry, the projections of the forces on the axis y and the projections of the displacements on the axis x should be equal to
zero. The boundary conditions are:
N 1b sin w1  Q 1b cos w1 0;

h0 0

and

u1b cos w1 w1b sin w1 0:

29

Conditions (27)(29) allow us to solve the system of equations and dene all 12 unknowns which completely determine the
stressstrain state in a pipe.
In this work we consider the stresses, which are induced by the bending moment, axial and transverse forces, at the point
B only. Denote the nominal bending moment by MN and nominal axial force by NN:
MN rM t2 =6

PR0  Wt
t

30

For the sake of convenience the results obtained for each dent are presented as the ratio of the real moment to the nominal
one (30), i.e., m = M/MN, and as the ratio of the difference between the real and nominal axial forces to the same nominal
force at the point B, i.e., Dn = (NN  N)/NN = (N + PR0)/PR0.
The dependence of the relative bending moment m from the ratio of the maximum dent depth W to the initial radius R0
for each type of the dent is shown in Fig. 8a. Note that in contrast to the rst and second types of the dent, where the value of
W uniquely denes the dent length, the length of the dent of the third type, Du, is an independent variable. Thus, to compare
the results for dents of different types, we take that the length of the dent of the third type is determined by its depth using
the formula W = 2R0(1  cosD u). As is evident from the graphs, the values of m decrease with the growth of the relative dent
depth W/R0, while the maximum value is attained for the third type. With an increase in the relative dent depth the value m
decreases insignicantly. It is of interest that in work [26] the estimation of m yielded m = 0.85. As can be seen from the
graphs, this estimate is valid for practically important cases of 0.05 6 W/R0 6 0.1.
Fig. 8b shows the dependences of the relative change in the axial force Dn for dents of all three types. In work [26] it was
suggested that this relative change can be described by the following equation: Dn = 0.9W/R0. The graph shown in Fig. 8b for

m
Type I

1.00

Type II

0.90

Type III

0.80
0.70
0.60
0.00

0.80

0.06

0.12

0.18

0.24

0.30

W/R0

Type I
Type II

0.60

Type III

0.40
0.20
0.00
0.00

0.06

0.12

0.18

0.24

0.30

W/R0

Fig. 8. Inuencing of relative depth of dent in a central (most deep) point for three types of geometry of dent: (a) the relative bending moment; (b) the
relative change of the force Dn.

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

4063

a dent of the second type corresponds best to the above equation. The change in the axial force Dn here has a maximum for a
dent of the third type. Remembering that the total axial force, N, is equal to N = PR0 (1 + Dn), it can be stated that N is minimal for this dent type. Note, that the values of N for types I and III are given in the immediate vicinity to the point B.
To establish which of the three types of defects is the most dangerous, i.e., for strength analysis, we should additionally take
into account the angular jump of the tangent vector at the point B (types I and III). This leads to the appearance of the transverse force Q in the immediate vicinity of the point B. Obviously, for strength analysis we need to have some combined characteristic that would take into account both forces N and Q. Using Trescas condition we determine the equivalent force Ne as
q
31
N e PR0 1 Dn2 4Q =PR0 2 :
We introduce the notion of the equivalent relative force, Dne, which is described by Dne = Ne/PR0. The dependence of the
equivalent relative force Dne on the relative dent depth is shown in Fig. 9. Note that for the second type of the dent
Q(u = 0) = 0 and Ne = N. As can be seen from Fig. 9, the third dent type gives the maximum values of Ne, which, e.g., for
W/R0 = 0.15 is equal to 1.37PR0. The same is observed for the bending moment, which also has the maximum values for
the third dent type (Fig. 8a). Thus, the third dent type is the most dangerous one from the strength point of view.
Continue the analysis for a dent of the third type. As it was stated above, its shape is described by two independent variables: the length, Du, and depth, W. To analyze the inuence of the dent length we x the depth ratio W/R0. Fig. 10 presents
an example of such computations at W/R0 = 0.1 for different values of Du. Note that for dents of type I and II the angular
length Du = 18.3 corresponds to the above value of the depth. Reduction of the length at constant depth increases the sharpness of the dent. Fig. 10 clearly demonstrates the inuence of the dent sharpness on the stress components. While the bending moment grows insignicantly with increasing sharpness and equals to 0.9MN, the maximum value of the equivalent force
grows with it and equals to 1.8PR0. It is easy to account for the latter magnitude. For a very shallow but sharp (w1 ? p/2) dent
we have limw1 !p=2 N ! 0 and limw1 !p=2 Q ! PR0 . Thus Trescas condition (31) yields Dne ? 2.
5.2. SIF computation for a crack emanating from a dent
Here we have a problem similar to that treated in Section 4. The only difference is that in the cracked section we initially
had not only an axial force but also a bending moment. Designate it by MD and introduce a bending stress rMD by MD = rMDt2/6.

Type I

1.60

ne

Type II
Type III

1.40
1.20
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.00

0.06

0.12

0.18

0.24

0.30

W/R0

Fig. 9. The inuence of relative dent depth on the values of the relative equivalent force Ne/PR0 at the dent central point for three types of dents.

m , ne
2

ne

1,75

1,5
1,25
1
0,75
5

10

15

20

25

30

Fig. 10. The inuence of the dent length at the xed depth W/R0 = 0.1 on the values of the bending moment and relative equivalent force at the point B for
the third type of dent.

4064

I.V. Orynyak, Ye.S. Yakovleva / Engineering Fracture Mechanics 75 (2008) 40524065

To determine an additional bending moment induced due to the concentrated compliance in the cracked section, we use Eq.
(22).
By repeating the procedures described in Section 4, considering that the dent depth is insignicant (thus N = PR0), and
neglecting the geometrical nonlinearity, it is easy to get a simple formula for an additional bending moment induced by a
crack:
M0 rM t 2 =6

PR0 =tbN rMD bM

:
R0 =9t bM

Thus, the nal formula for the SIF computation has the form:
p
K I PR0 =tY 0 rMD  rM Y M p  a:

32

33

This formula allows obtaining readily the SIF values for cracks emanating from the dents at low level of internal pressure. For
a more correct determination of the SIF it is necessary to implement the numerical procedure based on the MIP formulas
given in Table 1.
6. Conclusion
The Cheng and Finnie crack compliance method and the method of initial parameters are used jointly for the SIF computation in an elastic thin-walled ring with radial cracks. The peculiarities of realization of their joint usage dene the principal
novelty of the work. The main results obtained are:
1. For a circular ring (pipe) with initial imperfections the simplifying system of governing equations in a geometrically nonlinear formulation is written and solved as the sum of particular solution and a general solution of homogeneous system.
The former takes into account the imperfection of the form while the latter is presented in the form convenient to application in the method of initial parameters, i.e. it gives relation of displacements and forces in any point of part of ring with
respect to those at the beginning of the part.
2. A simplied analytical expression for the SIF in a pressurized pipe for R0/t > 5 with a radial crack in a geometrically nonlinear formulation is obtained for the rst time. Thus, the dimensionless SIF does not remain a constant but slowly
decreases with increasing internal pressure. This effect is of practical signicance for thin walled pipes if the relative crack
depth is bigger than 0.4 and the value of circumferential stresses exceeds at least 50 MPa.
3. Dents of three different types which consist of two parts each with constant radius of curvature have been investigated
with the account taken of the inuence of their depth on the bending moment and equivalent axial force in the deepest
point. The sharper the dents the more dangerous it is from the strength point of view.
4. A simplied formula for the SIF computation for a crack emanating from the deepest point of the dent is proposed. The
application of it is restricted to the cases when the maximal angle of the distortion of the form of the ring from the ideal
circular form is very small as compared with unity.

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