The team used the Paris-Erdogan law to model the fatigue crack growth:
The team concluded that the pipeline had failed due to a fatigue crack that had grown to a critical size. The crack had formed in the weld region, which had a lower toughness than the base metal. principles of fracture mechanics rj sanford pdf pdf work
A team of engineers was called in to investigate the failure. They began by collecting data on the pipeline's material properties, operating conditions, and inspection history. They also conducted a thorough visual examination of the failed component. The team used the Paris-Erdogan law to model
where da/dN is the crack growth rate, C and m are material constants, and ΔK is the stress intensity factor range. C and m are material constants
K = 85 MPa√m < KIC = 100 MPa√m