Finite element analysis of JCO-E fabrication process and its influence on the collapse capacity of offshore pipelines

In the present work, the JCO-E fabrication process is numerically simulated using advanced finite element tools for the case of a thick-walled 30-inch-diameter pipe, which is candidate for deep water installation. Subsequently, the structural performance of the line pipe under external pressure is investigated in a unified approach. Uniaxial tests are performed to obtain the material properties used in the finite element model, which are representative of the loading history that the plate is subjected during the process. The finite element model is validated with geometric measurements from the actual pipe fabricated in the pipe mill. The effect of the expansion level on the properties of the final product is investigated through extensive numerical studies. The results have shown that there exists an optimum expansion range for achieving the minimization of the geometric imperfections of the final product and the maximization of the collapse capacity of the pipe.