Structural Health Monitoring in Pipeline Repair

One of the most common problems in the structural integrity of industrial pipelines is external corrosion. Composite materials have been accepted as a repair option to restore the original strength of the effected damaged section but the approach to analyse how well the composite repair has influenced the stress and strain distributions between the reinforced steel and the reinforcing composite is yet to be determined. This approach is required since it can increase the confidence level among pipeline operators or manufacturers in terms of the composite repair solution that they have chosen or offered. The aim of this study was to develop an integrated approach that could provide a complete methodology to assess the integrity of pipeline systems, especially in quantifying the level of reinforcement provided by the repair in the elastic working region. This cannot be achieved by the traditional method that only relies on classical mechanics derived from strength of materials and compatibility relations. To fulfil this aim, efforts included the simulation of a composite repair system using FEA software, experimental test rig, installation of composite material, and data acquisition.